Consultation on Uniform Law - Proposed Rules for Barristers
Letter to the NSW Bar Association:
The Law Society Northern Territory (Society) welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the draft proposed rules for barristers about legal professional conduct and continuing professional development.
Under the Legal Profession Act (NT) the Society is the regulator for all legal practitioners in the Northern Territory. Of the approximately 550 legal practitioners only a very small minority practise as barristers under barrister practising certificates issued by the Society. As the regulator of the legal profession in the Northern Territory the Society considers the current legislative arrangement to be workable and viable in financial and other terms.
Whilst the Society supports the concept of a national profession, it is concerned about the increased regulation and cost. A small jurisdiction like the Northern Territory cannot enjoy the benefits of economies of scale and where the number of barristers is extremely limited and unlikely to significantly increase in the short or medium term the impact of the national professional will inevitably create significant implementation and costs issues in all areas, including continuing professional development.?
The Society recommends that as far as possible the proposed rules relating to continuing professional development should accord with those applying to solicitors.