At the bottom is a link to a thread I wrote on the website-formerly-know-as-twitter about the withdrawal of service by members of the independent criminal bar.
I cannot adequately articulate how deeply uncomfortable and, frankly, sad, criminal barristers are to have been put in the position of standing outside courthouses asking for restoration of pay from 2002 levels, in circumstances where every other affected group in the legal sector has been given this. Criminal practitioners at the bar are not money-mad. If we were, we’d be somewhere else. Criminal practice is deeply vocational and requires extraordinary dedication and commitment of your intellectual and emotional energy. We hear the cannon fire and we march to it. Bad things happen inside criminal courthouses but we want to be inside dealing with them. Not standing outside.
But fair is fair.
The Taoiseach in the Dail today said that it was “always understood” that this situation would be addressed in budget ‘24. That is not the case. The government has not responded to the Bar, despite this withdrawal of service being announced on 12 July 2023, essentially three months ago. The Taoiseach said that the issue has to be linked to reforms. In 2018 the Department of Justice and the DPP agreed that the criminal bar had met all requests and requirements in respect of anything that was asked for. The Taoiseach drew an analogy with the most recent GP contract and referred to a loss of private income. Whereas I am fortunate enough to be briefed frequently in private client work that is exclusively in the civil/regulatory/commercial fields. There is in fact no meaningful private client work on the criminal side, or so little as to make it not a factor. The Taoiseach in drawing this comparison shows a lack of engagement with the real issues.
I would go so far as to say that my practice in criminal law has been advantageous to my private clients, in terms of hard-won litigation and oral advocacy skills in an arena where nothing is taken for granted.
I don’t speak for my colleagues but that response has only fanned the flames. We can put with a lot but not with a response which we know to be patently disingenuous.
If you still frequent Mr Musk’s playground, please do read the thread. If you do or you don’t please support the criminal bar because this is existential and you will miss it if it ever ceases to exist. If you support us please consider expressing your support by liking, sharing and discussing this and similar threads or posts on your social media and, more importantly, in the real world.
You can also sign the open letter of support prepared by the Bar Council, which is available at this link: https://lnkd.in/eWsCWGGe
Many thanks.
Attorney At Law at The Rudolph Firm
3wCan't blame the judge for other's actions. Great job pointing this out. Totally agree.