Following the agreement between the regulators on the framework of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) immediately prior to Christmas, the regulators have now issued a revised timetable for implementation.
The core principles of the scheme are unchanged and as far as solicitors are concerned, the key feature remains the inclusion of advocates who do not undertake trials – which is leading the Criminal Bar Association to advocate a boycott by barristers. The regulators continue to work on the technical details of the scheme prior to the publication of a handbook in June.
The Law Society will continue to endeavour to protect the interests of solicitor advocates in that process.
Advocates will be required to register circuit by circuit:
- 30 September - 10 January 2014 – Midlands and Western circuits
- 10 March - 13 June 2014 – South Eastern circuits
- 30 June - 3 October 2014 – North East, Northern and Wales circuits
The Law Society is considering what information and help solicitor advocates will need to attain accreditation under QASA. You will be kept informed of what support is available to you.
The regulators have already trained 93 of the 120 circuit judges on the Midlands and Western circuits in the process of judicial evaluation in preparation for the introduction of QASA. The commitment of the regulators, the Legal Services Board and the higher judiciary to the implementation of a quality assurance scheme for criminal advocates remains absolute.