The Jeffrey Review

...is essential reading for a take on the present state of criminal advocacy. Jeffrey raises serious concerns about the standard of criminal advocacy, particularly from Solicitor Advocates who suffer in comparison to what Jeffrey sees as their better-trained counterparts at the Criminal Bar. There is a worry here about whether the parties in a given case have equality of arms, such appears to be the disparity, with judges (including ex-solicitors, so not a case of barristers looking after their own interests) expressing concerns about advocates taking cases on beyond their level of competence. Which is a polite way of saying someone is out of their depth....Jeffrey concludes that the market for criminal advocacy is not operating competitively or in a way that prioritises quality - and it appears from the statistics that Solicitor Advocates (who do much good work) are taking an increasing share of the market, with the result that the Criminal Bar feels under threat.Thought provoking stuff, with ideas for reform also included. You can read the whole report here.