Barrister and legal aid advocate Alex Chalk KC has been appointed lord chancellor following the resignation of Dominic Raab. 

Raab left the post this morning following the report from Adam Tolley KC on allegations of bullying from civil servants.

Within hours, Downing Street had announced Chalk, MP for Cheltenham, as his replacement. He is the eighth lord chancellor in the past seven years (Raab had the job twice).

Chalk’s appointment will give heart to those campaigning for improvements to the justice system as he comes with a track record of legal aid work and being relatively outspoken on access to justice issues.

Chalk practised as a barrister for 14 years before his election to parliament in 2015 and is a regular speaker on legal aid at practitioner events and at the annual Conservative Party conference.

In 2018, he wrote on the ConservativeHome website that the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, which reduced the eligibility of legal aid, had gone further than originally intended.

Calling for legal aid to be restored for early advice, the MP said that ‘relatively simple problems’ were left to escalate which cost more money to fix.

Chalk wrote: ‘There is now a serious concern that, without some steps to restore a measure of access to justice, serious injustice will inevitably follow. It would be unacceptable if deserving individuals, with right on their side, found themselves the victim of rough justice (even perhaps street justice) because they were unable to get legal advice or settle their case in court.’

Chalk was not in parliament when LASPO was passed. In April last year, he voted against providing publicly funded legal representation for bereaved people at inquests.

His most recent role has been as defence minister, but previously he served as a justice minister and as solicitor general.

Responding to his appointment, the Law Society said Chalk inherits a worse justice crisis than any of his predecessors faced in the past 10 years.

Society president Lubna Shuja said: ‘The justice system is facing worsening backlogs, legal aid on the point of collapse, crumbling courts and a shortage of judges and court staff. The new justice secretary must get a grip on the crisis as a matter of urgency. It is Alex Chalk’s job to bring the justice system back to full strength and I look forward to working closely with him to fight for improved access to justice for all.’

The Bar Council said Raab’s departure must be a ‘fresh start’ for the justice system and that the outgoing lord chancellor leaves a legacy of a criminal justice system in a parlous state and long delays in the family courts.

Nick Vineall KC, bar chair, added: ‘The Bar Council wants to see a properly funded justice system and greater emphasis on early diversion to reduce the pressures on the system. We need a lord chancellor who is prepared to focus on detail and systems and getting sustainable funding for those involved in publicly funded work.

‘We also hope the appointment of a new lord chancellor will prompt a rethink of proposed Bill of Rights Bill, which is a poor piece of legislation.’

 

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