Society of Solicitor Queens Counsel launches in London

The first ever dedicated society exclusive to solicitor silks has been launched with a commitment to undertaking pro bono advocacy and to catalyse international 'rule of law' projects.

Every member of the Society of Solicitor Queens Counsel (SSQC) will be encouraged to champion corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives personal to them, which will be put to a vote at the society's annual meeting to decide the focus for the coming year.

The first president of the SSQC will be Lord Collins of Mapesbury who was one of the first two practising solicitors to have ever been appointed Queen's Counsel, as well as the only Solicitor Law Lord, and first Solicitor Justice of the Supreme Court, to date.

Tim Taylor QC, a litigation partner at King & Wood Mallesons, who envisaged the project, commented: "Through bringing together this very small, individualistic group of people I have attempted to inspire my colleagues to do something together, as lawyers, for the greater good and to try and find one case per year where we can represent someone for free and get an outcome."

Guests at the launch of the SSQC were addressed by British philosopher and author AC Grayling, who gave a speech entitled 'The Force of Law, and the Law of Force'.

Professor Grayling said: "Those of us who live in the wealthy West are conscious of the fact we have profited hugely from the rule of law, from the fact that ultimately our disputes and relationships with one another can be mediated in ways that are neutral and dispassionate…the idea of the rule of law is a matter of the very first importance and that is why we should want to see that happen in other parts of the world. I really applaud what Tim does and the lawyers who are committed to the idea of spreading principle to parts of the world where there are still open questions about how a society should purport itself."

Since Higher Court rights of audience were granted to the profession, only 24 solicitor advocate QCs, as well as those appointed QC on an honorary basis, have been appointed as silks from among 80,000 solicitors. This compares with some 4,000 barrister QCs from an estimated pool of 20,000 barristers.

(Picture L to R: Tim Taylor QC, professor AC Grayling, Michael Payton QC, Rongkang Wang (KWM) and Stuart Fuller (KWM))

List of SSQC members

• Saimo Chahal QC Bindmans

• Michael Caplan QC Kingsley Napley

• Sir Bernard Eder QC HM Courts & Tribunal Services

• Judith Gill QC Allen & Overy

• Andrew Hopper QC

• Julian Lew QC 20 Essex Street

• Karyl Nairn QC Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

• Constantine Partasides Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

• Michael Payton QC Clyde & Co

• Romano Subiotto QC Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton

• June Venters QC Venters Solicitors

• Matthew Weiniger QC Herbert Smith Freehills
   

John van der Luit-Drummond is legal reporter for Solicitors Journal