GCN Chambers no returns action

18 March 2022

In response to the recent ballot of members of the Criminal Bar Association, Garden Court North Chambers issues the following statement:

‘Members of the criminal team at GCN Chambers support the position of the Criminal Bar Association that neither the level of remuneration apparently to be offered nor the government’s proposed timetable for implementation represent an adequate response to the crisis that has enveloped the criminal Bar. Accordingly and in line with the result of the CBA ballot, members of these chambers will not be accepting returns for any criminal case to be heard on or after 11th April.’

Since the ballot, the CBA has issued a further statement in response to the Ministry of Justice announcement regarding the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid earlier this week.

Our Head of Chambers, Mark George QC, further explains our reasoning for No Returns action in this Twitter thread.