New Silks Appointed to Queen’s Counsel

Feb 19, 2014

Written By Jos Weale, Managing Editor, All About Law

100 barristers and solicitors will join the Queen’s Counsel as new silks this year, it has been announced. The number of appointments is up from a total of 84 in 2013.

The amount of promotions to the coveted honour of QC is the highest number in three years. There were 225 applications for this year in all.

This year is also a landmark for the Queen’s Counsel as it sees the highest number of solicitors ever appointed as QCs in a single round.

The chief executive of the Law Society Des Hudson commented on the new appointments: “It is a positive sign to see five solicitors appointed as silks this year, particularly as just one solicitor was appointed last year, and no solicitors were appointed in 2012.

“The announcement of these five solicitors’ appointments shows that they have met the extremely high standards required across all the legal competencies; understanding and using the law, oral and written advocacy, working with others, and diversity and integrity.

“I continue to believe that solicitors have much to offer in these roles and, when appointed, add to the diversity of representation the Queen’s Counsel requires. I would encourage more solicitors to consider applying in the next round of silk selections.

"I continue to believe that solicitors have much to offer in these roles and, when appointed, add to the diversity of representation the Queen's Counsel requires. I would encourage more solicitors to consider applying in the next round of silk selections."

Of the successful applicants, 18 were women; one of which is female solicitor Paula Hodges, who is head of global arbitration at Herbert Smith Freehills.

The new QCs will officially take silk in a grand ceremony on 14 April this year.

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