Attorney General's Panel of Counsel

This competition is now closed. We hope to announce appointments in March 2012.

London Panels

Members of the A Panel deal with the most complex Government cases in all kinds of courts and tribunals. They will often appear against QC's. In general those appointed to the A Panel will have over ten years' advocacy experience. Members of the B Panel deal with substantial cases but not in general as complex as those handled by the A Panel. They will generally be instructed where knowledge and experience of a particular field is required. B Panel appointees will tend to have between five and ten years' advocacy experience. C Panel appointees will usually have between two and five years' advocacy experience. Those appointed to the C Panel will often provide (but not exclusively) the A and B panel members of the future and so will be expected to show the potential to join the A panel.

Advocacy experience means experience in actual practice usually from the end of 2nd six months' pupillage. Where a third six months pupillage is taken a judgement needs to be taken as to the extent and quality of the advocacy undertaken during that period.

Appointments to the panels are for 5 years.

London Panel Rates
A Panel - £120 per hour

B Panel - £100 per hour

C Panel - £80 per hour if over 5 years call. £60 per hour is under 5 years call

Application Process
The three London Panels are refreshed each year through open competition, so that with appointments being for five years, about 20% of the membership of each of the panels come to the end of their period of appointment each year. It is not possible to reapply to the C or B panels but it is possible to reapply to the A Panel and many do so.

There is usually an advertisement in Counsel Magazine in October with a closing date early in November. TSol will usually hold one or more events in conjunction with the Bar Council aimed at encouraging applications and explaining the application process. Those interested in applying do generally find attendance of benefit.

As part of the Attorney General's aim of encouraging as wide a selection of applicants as possible, potential applicants who want a mentor are put in touch with an established Panel member who can discuss the application process, the eligibility criteria and the presentation of relevant information on the application form. New C panellists will be offered mentoring during their first months on the panel.

While many A and B panel members will previously have been on the panels, the Attorney selects each year a number who are new to the panels. Previous experience on the panels is therefore not a determining factor.

The Attorney General has produced a Diversity and Equality Expectations Statement for Chambers to which Panel Counsel belong.

The Regional Panel

Regional Panel Rates

Ten years’ or more experience £110 per hour, Over five years’ experience but under ten £90, Under five years’ experience £60.

Advocacy experience means experience in actual practice usually from the end of 2nd six months’ pupillage. Where a third six months pupillage is taken a judgement needs to be taken as to the extent and quality of the advocacy undertaken during that period.

Appointments to the panel are for 5 years. The Attorney General has produced a Diversity and Equality Expectations Statement for Chambers to which counsel belong.

Diversity

The Attorney General operates an equal opportunities policy in relation to the Civil Panels. Applications from advocates of all backgrounds are welcomed. The assessment process emphasises the importance of making recommendations for appointment on the basis of demonstrable skills.

See the Attorney General's Equality and Diversity Strategy and the Diversity and Equality Expectations Statement for Chambers.

Diversity and Equality Expectations Statement (106kb)