Comments on tutor policy - deadline this Friday

31/07/2012

The Bar Council is currently considering a proposal from the Education Committee and New Barristers’ Committee to revise the Association’s tutor policy to remove the restriction on senior counsel from taking a reader.� It has been submitted that the policy of not allowing senior counsel to be tutors arose at a time when there was a clearer demarcation between the work undertaken by senior and junior counsel.� This has changed and therefore, subject to their wishing to do so, senior counsel are in a position to act as tutors and are often, due to time constraints and other considerations, de facto tutors for readers on their floor and to whom they come in to contact.

The proposal under consideration does not envisage that readers will be required to have senior counsel as a tutor.� Nor will senior counsel be required to take a reader, if they do not wish to do so.� The default position will remain that senior juniors will be tutors for the majority of readers.

The Bar Council is keen to hear members’ view on this proposed change.� Please direct comments and submissions to Chris D’Aeth, cdaeth@nswbar.asn.au,�by Friday 10 August 2012.

8�August�2012