2022 British barristers' industrial action

On 14 March 2022, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) in England and Wales voted to undertake industrial action protesting against stagnant fees with 94% of criminal barristers in favour. The industrial action consisted of refusal to accept returns—substitution of a new barrister, often at the last minute, when another of them is unavailable to make a trial date—in Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) (legal aid)-funded cases in the Crown Court. The action began on 11 April 2022.^[1]^[2]^[3] Almost 2,500 people are participating in the action.^[4]^[5] The CBA did not consider the initial action a strike because its members are under no obligation to accept returns, which it calls "a gesture of goodwill to prop up the criminal justice system".^[2]^[6] Two months later, in June 2022, barristers began an open-ended strike every other week based on a CBA ballot in late May. In October 2022, during the premiership of Liz Truss, barristers voted to end the strike following a deal with then-Secretary of State for Justice, Brandon Lewis.^[7]

^ Cite error: The named reference Garden Court was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Why are criminal barristers on strike and what is no returns action?". ITV News. 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
^ Cite error: The named reference week was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference bbc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Fouzder, Monidipa (11 April 2022). "Point of no returns: barristers begin legal aid action". Law Gazette. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
^ "Criminal barristers vote to end strike over pay". BBC News. 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.

[Garden_Court-1] Cite error: The named reference Garden Court was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[guardian-2] Cite error: The named reference guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[itv-3] "Why are criminal barristers on strike and what is no returns action?". ITV News. 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.

[week-4] Cite error: The named reference week was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[bbc-5] Cite error: The named reference bbc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[gazette-6] Fouzder, Monidipa (11 April 2022). "Point of no returns: barristers begin legal aid action". Law Gazette. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.

[strike-ends-bbc-7] "Criminal barristers vote to end strike over pay". BBC News. 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.

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