Report on public access to barristers submitted to Flanagan

The legal regulator has submitted a report to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan on its public consultation on allowing barristers to accept instructions from non-solicitors.

The report could propose bringing Ireland in line with England and Wales, where “Public Access” barristers can be instructed directly, without having to involve a solicitor.

The High Court confirmed in July that a barrister cannot act and conduct contentious litigation in Ireland on behalf of a party to such proceedings without first receiving instructions from a solicitor.

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) submitted its public consultation report on Friday in line with its statutory obligation under section 120 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.

As well as the issue of public access, the Authority also consulted on a number of other issues relating to barristers, including whether the restriction on legal practitioners other than solicitors holding the moneys of clients should be maintained.

Mr Flanagan has 30 days to lay the report before the Houses of the Oireachtas.