Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct
Encyclopedia
The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct (ACLEC) was an advisory board established by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990
and tasked with assisting in "the maintenance and development of standards in the education, training and conduct of those offering legal services". It was broken up in 1999, and replaced by the Legal Services Consultative Panel.
after being proposed in the Green Paper
The Work and Organisation of the Legal Profession. The body officially came into existence in April 1991, and undertook its first major task in 1992 when it began reviewing the state of legal education in England and Wales
. After two consultation papers in 1994 it published a pair of full reports in 1995, titled Access to and participation in undergraduate legal education and Funding legal education. The Committee issued two more reports - First report on legal education and training in 1996 and Continuing professional development for solicitors and barristers
In 1999 ACLEC was abolished by Statutory Instrument
1999/3296 (The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct (Provisions on Abolition) Order 1999) and replaced by the Legal Services Consultative Panel, an organisation within the Lord Chancellor's Department
.
, Lord Justice of Appeal
or a High Court judge
) and sixteen other members, all appointed by the Lord Chancellor
. The first chairman appointed was Lord Griffiths
, a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. The sixteen other members were divided so that one was a Circuit Judge or former Circuit Judge, two were practising barrister
s, two were practising solicitor
s, two were law teachers or lecturers and nine were "lay members", which is defined as any person other than a judge, practising barrister, practising solicitor or law teacher.
Section 19 of the Courts and Legal Services Act amended the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
to indicate that no Member of Parliament can be a member of the Advisory Committee. Committee members served for five years, and provisions were made for them to be paid and for them to maintain a staff, all of which was paid for from the Lord Chancellor's budget. The Committee was required to produce an annual report, which the Lord Chancellor presented to both the House of Lords
and the House of Commons.
.
Courts and Legal Services Act 1990
The Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the legal profession and Courts of England and Wales...
and tasked with assisting in "the maintenance and development of standards in the education, training and conduct of those offering legal services". It was broken up in 1999, and replaced by the Legal Services Consultative Panel.
History
ACLEC was established by Section 19 of Part II of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990Courts and Legal Services Act 1990
The Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the legal profession and Courts of England and Wales...
after being proposed in the Green Paper
Green paper
In the Commonwealth, the Republic of Ireland and the United States a green paper is a tentative government report of a proposal without any commitment to action; the first step in changing the law...
The Work and Organisation of the Legal Profession. The body officially came into existence in April 1991, and undertook its first major task in 1992 when it began reviewing the state of legal education in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
. After two consultation papers in 1994 it published a pair of full reports in 1995, titled Access to and participation in undergraduate legal education and Funding legal education. The Committee issued two more reports - First report on legal education and training in 1996 and Continuing professional development for solicitors and barristers
In 1999 ACLEC was abolished by Statutory Instrument
Statutory Instrument
A Statutory Instrument is the principal form in which delegated or secondary legislation is made in Great Britain.Statutory Instruments are governed by the Statutory Instruments Act 1946. They replaced Statutory Rules and Orders, made under the Rules Publication Act 1893, in 1948.Most delegated...
1999/3296 (The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct (Provisions on Abolition) Order 1999) and replaced by the Legal Services Consultative Panel, an organisation within the Lord Chancellor's Department
Lord Chancellor's Department
The Lord Chancellor's Department was a United Kingdom government department answerable to the Lord Chancellor with jurisdiction over England and Wales....
.
Structure
The Committee consisted of a chairman (who must be a Lord of Appeal in OrdinaryLord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
, Lord Justice of Appeal
Lord Justice of Appeal
A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:...
or a High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
) and sixteen other members, all appointed by the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
. The first chairman appointed was Lord Griffiths
Hugh Griffiths, Baron Griffiths
William Hugh Griffiths, Baron Griffiths, known as Hugh Griffiths, PC, QC, MC is a British judge and barrister....
, a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. The sixteen other members were divided so that one was a Circuit Judge or former Circuit Judge, two were practising barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
s, two were practising solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
s, two were law teachers or lecturers and nine were "lay members", which is defined as any person other than a judge, practising barrister, practising solicitor or law teacher.
Section 19 of the Courts and Legal Services Act amended the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that prohibits certain categories of people from becoming members of the House of Commons...
to indicate that no Member of Parliament can be a member of the Advisory Committee. Committee members served for five years, and provisions were made for them to be paid and for them to maintain a staff, all of which was paid for from the Lord Chancellor's budget. The Committee was required to produce an annual report, which the Lord Chancellor presented to both the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and the House of Commons.
Remit
ACLEC was tasked with assisting in "the maintenance and development of standards in the education, training and conduct of those offering legal services". The Committee reviewed the practical and academic education and training required and possessed by those providing legal services, and was expected to pay particular attention to the way legal services were provided for those with "special difficulties", such as those who are developmentally disabledDevelopmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
.