Recruitment in AG/DPP Office

johnnyskeleton

Article in today's Irish times about a complaint being made by the law society that advisory counsel to the Attorney General is only open to barristers.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1206/1224284846873.html

THE LAW Society has formally asked the Commission for Public Service Appointments to investigate a complaint it made over a year ago about discrimination in the recruitment practices in the office of the Attorney General (AG).
The complaint concerns the practice of restricting the recruitment of advisory counsel, the main professional grade within the office, to barristers. The society pointed out that solicitors can be appointed as judges to the highest courts, yet are not eligible to apply for the entry grade of advisory counsel in the Attorney General’s office.

I thought it was open to barristers and solicitors but that there was a preponderance of barristers getting the jobs.

I wonder how big of an issue is this or is it just the Law Society making a bit of work for themselves? Do solicitors feel that they are discriminated against unfairly because they can be a High Court judge but not work as advisory counsel for the AG? Is there even anything wrong with it, considering that the job title is "counsel" and there are other jobs with the AG with the title "solicitor".

Also, from another thread I saw that there are two vacancies with the DPP's office - one for a legal researcher the other for a locum prosecution solicitor. Ironcially, the researcher is paid more than the solicitor.

http://www.dppireland.ie/working-for-the-dpp/latest-vacancies/?id=19

Might be worth looking into for anyone looking for a bit of a job. I thought there was a recruitment ban in place, but obviously not.

FreudianSlippers

Interesting, like you I thought that it was open to both.

Tom Young

My own view is that this is bluster.

Counsel are just that - Called to the Irish Bar before the Chief Justice and enrolled as same, with regulation and membership of the Honorable Society of King's Inns and/or the Bar Council of Ireland. Not enrolled by the President of the High Court and regulated by the Law Society.

Reminds me of Alan Shatter's application for letters patent S.C. - Senior Counsel. Rory Brady S.C. (RIP), Attorney General at that time wrote back to Mr. Shatter advising that he could apply to the Honorable Society of King's Inns, practice for the requisite period, and then apply to the A.G. and government as same. The jobs are different in qualification and in nature.

I suggest a JR or indeed practical review may find similar responses.

One may find that the practice pre-requisites will be the downfall for any review. As practice at the Bar is completely different to practice as a solicitor.

Before anyone decides to dance on my head. I get the issues with audience and qualification, etc. I will note though that litigation, opinion work, research, and drafting are all skills possibly more practically resourced by Counsel in terms of those who opt to leave practice and take work within the office of the AG.

Tom