The appointment of new silks has been postponed until the summer by the body in charge of selection.
QC Appointments has confirmed that, under the reformed model that is being overseen by the Bar Council and the Law Society, the first round of silks will not be announced, as is traditional, on Maundy Thursday, 13 April.
Instead, the panel intends to collate a list of selected QCs by the spring, which will then require approval by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
The appointments are the first since the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, suspended the award in April 2003.
Under the new self-financing model, which was set up last year, applicants are required to pay an initial fee of £1,800, with successful candidates paying an additional £2,250.
References: EGi Legal News 29/03/06
