Review of new briefs and instructions

The Senior and First Junior Clerks, Tony Hill and Alan Odiam, will offer full and candid guidance as to the instruction and briefing of Counsel in accordance with the expertise, experience and rate appropriate to the case.

Members of Chambers adhere to the “cab rank rule” and will not accept an instruction in breach of the Bar Council’s Equality Code.

Counsel will review any new brief or instruction in accordance with paragraph 701 of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of England and Wales to ensure compliance with any deadline.  Should the barrister instructed be unavailable, the client would be notified and an extension of time agreed or a substitute barrister offered.

Paperwork

All standard written work would be completed within ten working days from receipt of the instructions.  If an alternative, earlier return date is requested this will be adhered to.  To ensure compliance with any such agreement, the progress of the instructions is monitored by Chambers’ computerised case management system.  Every effort will be made to hold to any time limit but the client would be notified as soon as possible in the unlikely event of us being unable to meet the deadline.

Court appearances and the reservation thereof

Once Counsel is booked for a hearing it is extremely uncommon that the brief has to be returned due to Counsel’s later unavailability.  However, given the vagaries of the listing system, and litigation generally, it does sometimes happen that cases unexpectedly overrun and reallocation of an existing commitment is required.  Similarly, the House of Lords, Court of Appeal or High Court may list hearings at short notice without consideration of Counsel’s availability.

In the unlikely event of the Counsel of choice becoming unavailable at short notice before a hearing date the client would be informed immediately.  Briefs would only be reassigned to Counsel of an equivalent or otherwise acceptable level of seniority and expertise.  In such circumstances, it is the policy of Ropewalk Chambers that a more senior barrister would be charged at the lower, or pre-existing, rate.  Reallocation would never be made without the agreement of the client.

Ropewalk Chambers operates a warned double booking system.  The client would always be informed in such circumstances and offered the services of alternative Counsel to “cover" the case.  The progress of the respective cases is monitored on a regular basis.  Again, a double booking or transferral to alternative Counsel would never be made, under any circumstances, without the consent of the client.

We take pride in addressing effectively any client concerns and comments.  The management system operating within Chambers incorporates continuous improvement mechanisms for the monitoring of effectiveness against standard procedures and policies and the instigation of improvement initiatives when relevant.  We always welcome client feedback, good or bad, and annually seek our clients’ views on a random, sampling questionnaire basis.

We ask that you inform us of any difficulties that you may experience with our Chambers, its members or staff.  Full details of our Client Complaint Procedures are available on this site or through the Senior Clerk, Tony Hill.