The Government is to grant the QC rank a stay of execution after agreeing to reform the controversial award to be run jointly by the Bar Council and the Law Society.

The Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, is today (26 May) to reveal details of the scheme, which will be set up with an independent human resources (HR) company.

The Bar Council and Law Society are expected to next month tender for an HR company to help them draw up a set of criteria for selecting candidates.

The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) will retain oversight of the new scheme – but will not take any part in the selection – effectively removing the Government from its controversial role in the award.

As both the Law Society and the Bar Council will be running the process, a significant number of new silks are expected to be solicitors.

One government official said: "QC is an internationally recognised badge of quality and we do not want to lose that, but it has to be more open. You cannot have the secretary of state deciding who should become a QC."

The title will also remain intact – despite pressure from the Law Society to create a new name, such as senior counsel.

The long-term survival of the system is not, however, guaranteed. The DCA has retained the right to make changes to the arrangement if it is criticised by Sir David Clementi, who is due to submit his report on the regulation of the legal profession at the end of this year.

The DCA is also commissioning an independent study into the QC system, which could also recommend further changes.

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