Bar chair says profession should be valued, if not always popular

At the recent Bar & Young Bar Conference, the chairman of the Bar said that barristers are more than mere “economic actors”, and while not expecting to be popular, they should be valued.

In a speech on Saturday 15 October 2016, Bar Chairman Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC warned that the profession’s commitment to independence, excellence and advocacy had to be protected. She said: “We are professionals whose role is at the heart of our justice system. As a profession we act not only in the interest of consumers, but also in the public interest. Acknowledging this does not mean that this profession is unwilling to continue to move with the times, but rather that there is an irreducible essence, which has to be protected. At the heart of this profession are three commitments: to independence, to excellence and to advocacy.”

She went on to explain why despite these three key features ensuring that the profession will continue to survive, it was important not to take them for granted: “The essential elements of the profession need to be guarded and valued. They are central to what is best about our justice system, and our judiciary.”

Equally, popularity may not always be possible: “Perhaps the Bar should not expect to be popular – after all the hallmark of the profession is to represent all without fear, including litigants who are unpopular with government, or with society. That is why this profession has fought so hard to keep the Cab Rank rule. But the profession should be valued. Not just for the money it contributes to the Exchequer, but because the justice system, and the Bar which plays a central role in it, are part of the glue which holds society together.”