CBA chair slams 'cowardly attacks' by his Twitter critics

The outgoing chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has used his final address to the body's members to criticise 'cowardly attacks' from 'contemptuous' barristers and solicitors opposed to his position regarding the ongoing legal aid boycott.

Despite strong support from members of the junior Bar to 'strike' against government cuts to legal aid, Tony Cross QC announced last month that he would not be voting for action in support of the solicitor profession in a highly contentious CBA ballot.

The outspoken barrister was subsequently accused of cosying up to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), with the new Lord Chancellor, Michael Gove, showing Cross's organisation favouritism over its solicitor counterparts.

'My time is done,' said Cross in his final message. 'Thank you to all those who have shown me kindness and encouragement. There are too many to name. The officers in 2014 and this year have provided me with invaluable support in these difficult times. And then there are those who wrote to me personally, in the best traditions of the Bar, to thank me for my endeavour.

'For those, though, on both sides of the profession, who generally have hidden behind cowardly attacks on social media, you have nothing but my contempt.'

Cross added: 'Mark Fenhalls and Francis FitzGibbon have stepped up to the plate when others were not prepared so to do. They deserve the support of the sensible majority of our profession. They will continue to have mine.'

Commenting on Cross's remarks, criminal barrister Tom Wainwright of Garden Court Chambers, tweeted: 'Chair's final message. Misrepresenting the solicitors' position, undermining the action, and bad tempered to the end.'

Wainwright also compared Cross's final address to that of the colourful South Park character, Eric Cartman.

Meanwhile, 36 Bedford Row's Rebecca Herbert said: The last para of the [CBA] chairman's message reflects perfectly how any disagreement has been regarded. I refuse to descend to personal abuse, and acknowledge that [Tony] Cross QC has worked extremely hard and done what he believed was for the best. Now, can we get on with it? The [CBA] needs to actively pursue a strategy to protect the junior Bar. Fast.'

Members of the criminal Bar have not warmed to the outgoing chair by since he took office. In February he was heavily criticised for attending the former justice secretary's Magna Carta jamboree, the Global Law Summit (GLS), with some barristers accusing him of 'treachery'.

Though Cross launched a lengthy attack on the coalition government, and the then Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling, for having a 'contempt' for the rule of law, many of his colleagues argued that his attendance at the GLS gave the event a legitimacy it did not deserve.

John van der Luit-Drummond is deputy editor for Solicitors Journal
john.vanderluit@solicitorsjournal.co.uk | @JvdLD