CONSULTATIONS
The Association regularly responds to public consultations and reform proposals affecting its members' practices, as well as the areas of law in which they specialise. This is an important part of the Association's representational role.
Each month, the Consultation sub-Committee actively trawls government departments, the Law Commission, Bar Standards Board and various other bodies for relevant consultations and proposals. Any consultations appearing to be of interest to the Association and its members are then referred to the main Committee which, if it is decided that the consultation merits a response from the Chancery Bar, will appoint a sub-committee to consider it in detail and draft a response to it on behalf of the Association.
If you would like to take part in responding to a consultation on behalf of the Association, or if you think that a particular consultation or proposal merits consideration by the Committee, please contact Mark West (mwest@radcliffechambers.com) or Adam Cloherty (adam.cloherty@xxiv.co.uk).
At present, the Association is busy responding to the following consultations:
Consultation to streamline the application process for bankruptcy and company winding up
Closes 31st January 2012
Proposals to reform the application process for bankruptcy and company winding up have been announced. The proposed reforms build upon earlier proposals to reform the debtor petition bankruptcy process by removing the court from the application stage where there is no dispute between the parties about the outcome.
Appointments and Diversity: A Judiciary for the 21st Century
Open date: 21 November 2011 Close date: 13 February 2012
A consultation on proposed amendments to the statutory and regulatory frameworks for judicial appointments, together with improving judicial diversity. Although the principle of appointment on merit will remain, the changes will enable clear career progression and flexible working arrangements to encourage applications from previously untapped talent pools.
BSB Consultation on Public Access
Closing Date: 9 March 2012
The Bar Standards Board are consulting on amendments to the Code of Conduct for barristers following a review of their public access rules. At present, the public access rules do not allow a client who may be eligible for public funding to instruct a public access barrister. This is one of the rules the BSB seek to change. The consultation also suggests that barristers should have a duty to ensure that, before accepting public access instructions, the client is able to make an informed decision about whether to apply for legal aid or to proceed with public access representation.
If you would like to be involved in responding to the above consultations, or have points that you would like to be included in the Association's response, again please contact Mark West or Adam Cloherty.
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