QASA

Please find below, the response of the South Eastern Circuit Committee to the proposed QASA scheme. The Circuit has a number of concerns.

1   Cost. We think this is far too high and ask that further efforts are made to reduce. Our members are facing cuts of unprecedented levels.

2   Standard C1. We hope that this will be dropped or only maintained to the extent that this can be assessed in Court. The alternative is that we will all have to pay for a simulated exercise re clients. We regard this as unacceptable.

3   We think that it should be made plain that real-life judicial assessment is the expectation. Assessment centres should only be an option in exceptional circumstances.

4   We do not think that it is right that advocates should agree the level of a case. What is to happen in the event of disagreement? We think that this should be a judicial assessment.

5   We think that all judges should be trained in the process to ensure that opportunities for assessment are maximised.

6   We are alarmed at the prospect of 2 schemes for prosecutors, i.e. this one and the CPS grading scheme. We hope that this will be resolved as a matter of urgency and that gradings achieved in the current CPS exercise will be accepted by your scheme in the interim.

Nicholas Hilliard QC, Leader, South Eastern Circuit
Sarah Forshaw QC, Chair, Central London Bar Mess
Georgina Gibbs, Circuit Junior
 

 

Read the application by the joint advocacy group for the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (Crime).

Read the proposal from BSB about fees to be charged for the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates.