Timothy Dutton QC (Left) has written a letter to The Legal Services Commission about the LSC contract.
The exchange between Chairman of The Bar Timothy Dutton QC and Richard Collins of The Legal Services Commission is quite extraordinary – and all the letters are well worth reading.
Simon Myerson QC explained his reasons for refusing to sign in a podcast with me the other day and on his blog.
Timothy Dutton QC letter | The original letters from the Legal Services Commission.
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This whole issue is absolutely extraordinary; what on EARTH are the LSC trying to do?? ( besides kill off access to counsel/thecourts/justice/equity?!?!?)
If anyone tells me that the matter is, broadly speaking, a costs saving exercise, I shall NOT be responsible for my actions……
[…] sequel to the last post on barristers refusing to sign up for the VHCC contract. A hat tip to Charon QC for the link to the response of the Chairman of the Bar, Tim Dutton to Richard Collins’ […]
Charon, thanks for the links, I’ve followed it up. Extraordinary just doesn’t do it justice.
Minx, it IS broadly speaking a cost cutting exercise. Never underestimate the relentless myopia of the managerial mindset in pursuit of a cost efficiency. Little things like the ones you mention are unquantifiable values, so don’t make it onto the spreadsheets.
Good to see a pincer movement from the senior and junior branches of the profession at work, though.
Would you allow yourself to be represented by a barrister who has signed the contract?