At first blush.

I hate to say it but The UK profession has solidarity. The UK government said it was going to cut legal aid fees by 30% as a trade off for not removing counsel of choice for legal aid clients. In response criminal lawyers in UK as a group said they are simply not going to do the work and a retired Judge agreed with them. How refreshing. It must be amazing to be in a profession which sticks up for it self. A very high profile Barristers Chambers lead by Michael Mansfield QC has said that it is simply going to close its doors. Its interesting that Mr Lundys legal team chose the UK to seek justice rather than the Supreme Court here in New Zealand. There must be something in the water here that creates a two tier profession. I am really not acting out of self interest as no doubt I will be portrayed as so much as endeavouring to highlight my belief that a criminal justice system whihc has two classes of litigants those that can afford to choose their lawyer and those that because of their pocketbook cannot choose their lawyer runs against all notions of equality before the law. Perhaps I am just old fashioned. In the end if you stand for everything you stand for nothing at you really have to focus on whats important and have an opinion which you stand or fall by.In my view the shifting of criminal defence into the government itself is the beginning of the end. Soon all criminal defence will operate from within government or within government controlled entities acting on bulk funding. And this is occurring while Crown prosecution is still conducted from within private profit making firms. I cant work it out. Thanks for all the support from lawyers overseas and people here in New Zealand.