Colony Collapse
April 20, 2008 by Ruthie
From 2000 to 2006, there was a gradual reduction in the number of feral (wild) barristers in England and Wales. This decline includes the cumulative losses from all factors such as reduction in legal aid, fewer prosecutions being brought, solicitor-advocate mites, and personal injury solicitors retiring and going out of business. However, late in the year 2006 and in early 2007 the rate of attrition was alleged to have reached new proportions, and the term “Colony Collapse Disorder” was proposed to describe this sudden rash of disappearances.
The number of eggs being laid by the Queen is higher than ever; attrition occurs between the larval stage and maturity, when barristers seem to simply disappear.
A colony which has collapsed from CCD is generally characterized by all of these conditions occurring simultaneously
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- Complete absence of pupil barristers in, with build-up of dead and dying barristers
- Presence of siginificant aged debt in colonies.
- Presence of briefs
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- i. which are not immediately robbed by other barristers
- ii. which when attacked by solicitor advocates, the attack is noticeably delayed.
Precursor symptoms that may arise before the final colony collapse are:
- Limited range of call of barristers
- Workforce seems to be made up of young adult barristers
- The Head of Chambers is present but weak
- The colony members are reluctant to consume provided briefs such as VHCC
The exact mechanisms of CCD are still unknown. One report indicates a strong but possibly non-causal association between the syndrome and the presence of the acute financial paralysis. Other factors may also be involved, however, and several have been proposed as causative agents; solicitor advocates, reductions in legal aid funding, presence of CPS at decision to charge leading to fewer prosecutions, VHCC contracts, insurance companies settling more claims, credit crunch, barristerkeeping practices such as the use of clerks on salaries, or siting of hives outside town centres. Whether any single factor is responsible, or a combination of factors (acting independently in different areas affected by CCD, or acting in tandem), is still unknown. It is likewise still uncertain whether CCD is a genuinely new phenomenon, or simply a reaction to an unsustainable increase in the barrister population.
O dear - should I be reading this at such a sensitive time of the OLPAS Year? I am now officially TERRIFIED!!
Still trying to justify your failure at the Bar, eh Ruthie?!
Seriously though what you say does appear to be fairly spot on and well put. The compulsion I have to continue with my education does rather bring to mind the expression “lamb to the slaughter” and part of me does feel a stubborn fool for not switching track now, but that’s convictions for you, eh?
Minxie, you’ll be fine. You’re clearly well ahead of the game and better placed than most.
Barrister populations are periodically attacked by diseases such as CCD and Solicitarius-Inadequatitis but the prognosis is good in the long term. There is a temporary loss of wallet weight and a rash of odd looking gowns in the court area, but the application of topical “Quality Advocacy” (TM) cream will clear up the annoying symptoms in a short time.
Didnt understand a bleedin’ word of that.
Was very clever though….no-doubt
P will take your word for it
Solicitor barristers I have seen have been utter bolloks
Lay off the liniment Pineapples - there’s no such thing as a solicitor barrister; you mean solicitor advocate. Most can c that they’re bolloks (sic).
This is very clever. I like it.
Please don’t praise Ruthie MsR it makes her utterly insufferable.
Ruthie is all sweetness and light. Stop your whining GL and let us, Ruthie’s Fan Club, worship her from afar.
Solicitor advocates (my arse). P was in court last week - He passes some bloke in a wig - with the fringe sticking below the wig….chap had a very worried look and a scruffy demeanour
Turns out to be one of them solicitor barristers (sorry…s….advocates)….
BUT - he didnt have a proper gown !! Oh me -gawd - he had a different gown to Mr P…..his was like an usher’s
Oh Me Gawd - that’s not fair.
Not bleedin’ fair at all.
The other barrister (real one) even referred to Mr Fringe as “My Learned Friend”.
Pity help us all.
P - will you get your spellings rite….there are tired people on here who are very keen on things like this…amd will point it out to you…(yawn).
As if P would give a monkey’s arse
My dear Lauded Mr P they are “Solicitor Inadequates” and if you really want to annoy them ask them “Can you get me on soon?” or “Has my opponent turned up?”
I knew a Solicitor Inadequate who was oddly pleased with its wig and odd looking gown - frankly, I felt embarrassed for it.