AN ALCOHOLIC barrister is calling on the Bar Council to take action to deal with the increasing number of professionals addicted to drink.
Her call is backed by a man who was forced to leave the profession through drink, and a barrister's clerk. All three wish to remain anonymous.
She says: "The Bar is very ignorant of this whole area and the problems which can be caused by alcohol. A lot of us would like to see the profession recognise what is going on and try to help people.
"We need a more formal scheme to help people out in the open, but it shouldn't just involve discipline."
A former barrister adds: "The message has to be got across that you cannot just reduce your drinking or control it in any way. "
A man who describes himself only as "a senior barrister's clerk" says: "A barrister's training should include briefings on the dangers of alcohol."
A spokesman for the Bar Council says: "We have listened to the suggestions and we will give them serious consideration. We are looking into a joint project with the Law Society, but as there are 10 times fewer barristers than solicitors, we do wonder whether it is worthwhile spending a lot of time on the problem."