The Legal Practitioners (Senior and Queens Counsel) Act 2020 enacted by Parliament removes the discretion of the executive government to pick and choose which of the barristers, appointed as Senior Counsel by the Supreme Court, it will appoint as Queen’s Counsel.
The Act abrogates the executive’s prerogative in that regard so that any Senior Counsel who requests an appointment as Queen’s Counsel must now be so appointed.
The legislation therefore addresses the primary concern of the Judges that the appointment of Queen’s Counsel, in the discretion of the executive, compromised the independence of the legal profession and the judiciary.
Accordingly, the Judges will resume the practice of appointing Senior Counsel.
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