News In Focus
3 April 2009
Solicitor advocates confident of support ahead of EGM
The Society of Solicitor Advocates is claiming strong support from members for its response to the criticisms by Lord Gill in the recent Woodside judgment, ahead of its extraordinary general meeting later this month.
In Woodside the Lord Justice Clerk questioned the way in which solicitor advocates operate, and specifically whether or not solicitors and solicitor advocates were able to act independently when advising their clients on who they should instruct for appearances in court.
While acknowledging that the judges in the Woodside case all raised points of fundamental importance, the Society reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the principles that all lawyers share, seeking an open and frank debate as to how those principles apply in the modern world.
"We have had an excellent response to our call for an open debate, with strong support for our principled approach,” said Alayne Swanson, the Society's President. “A large number of solicitor advocates have already committed to attending the EGM on 22 April, and we expect to see a good attendance from solicitor advocates specialising in both civil and criminal law."
Vice President John Scott said the Society treated the criticisms with the utmost respect and seriousness, but rejected them in their entirety. "While there may be criticisms of individual solicitor advocates in individual cases, there are mechanisms in place to deal with such complaints," he added.