The Law Society has said it is ‘extremely disappointed’ that not a single solicitor has been appointed King’s Counsel in this year’s silk round.
The King has approved the appointment of 96 new silks, the Ministry of Justice announced today – but no solicitor appears in the annual list despite nine applying.
KC status is awarded to legal professionals who have demonstrated a particular skill and expertise in the conduct of advocacy, and solicitors with higher rights of audience have been eligible to apply for KC status since 1995. To date, only 66 solicitors have been appointed out of 231 applicants.
Society president Mark Evans said: ‘Solicitors bring invaluable skills and experience to the sector. There need be no limits to their ambition, including being appointed silks. While the number of solicitors applying for KC status reflects the historic division of advocacy work between the bar and solicitors, the proportion of successful solicitor appointments – particularly from diverse backgrounds – must increase.
‘The Law Society supports a robust, merit-based application process that values a range of experiences. We are committed to seeing an improvement in these statistics and will continue to work with the KCA on increasing awareness of the steps involved in applying for KC status amongst our membership. We are keen to help eligible solicitors demonstrate their unique skills and experience and are calling for their recognition as part of the qualifying process.’
In better news for the solicitor branch, two solicitors have been made honorary KCs: City of London Law Society chair Colin Passmore and Peter Kandler, who co-founded the UK’s first law centre, in North Kensington.
Law Centres Network chief executive Julie Bishop said Kandler’s award ‘recognises his pioneering role in shaping the Law Centre movement and his enduring contribution to the idea that the law should work for everyone, not just those who can afford it’.
The City of London Law Society said Passmore was ‘nominated for his work in shaping the modern understanding of privilege through his scholarship, and for his leadership in firm-level and sector-wide approaches to diversity, social mobility, and responsible business – including initiatives to support access to the profession and the next generation of lawyers’.
