Bacfi article "nonsense"

A eulogy to barristers in the Bacfi Bulletin was slammed as "palpable nonsense" by a leading in-house solicitor.

Jyoti Munsiff, chair of the Law Society's commerce and industry group, said the article, which compared the qualities of solicitors and barristers, did not tell the whole story.

It read: "If a company wants to employ a conveyancer, a wills draftsman, a commercial litigator, hire a solicitor. If a company wants a performer, a negotiator, a salesman... a communicator, a strategic thinker, a publisher of articles, someone with vision, an ambitious and committed member of the senior management team..., hire a barrister."

The qualities listed were necessary but could be found from many sources, Munsiff said.

"We don't care about the label solicitor or barrister. Experience in a particular sphere is the most important element."