Annual Report 2011 > 2. Administration

2.1 The Duty Lawyer Service (formerly known as the Law Society Legal Advice and Duty Lawyer Schemes) first introduced in 1978 was incorporated on 17th August 1993 as a company limited by guarantee. It continues to operate the Duty Lawyer Scheme, the Free Legal Advice Scheme and the Tel Law Scheme with the additional Convention Against Torture Scheme commencing on 24th December 2009.

2.2 The Duty Lawyer Service is subvented by the Government but independently managed and administered jointly by the Bar Association and Law Society through the Council of the Duty Lawyer Service. The membership of the Duty Lawyer Service consists of 24 members with the Council of the Law Society and the Bar Council each nominating 12 members. The membership of the Duty Lawyer Service Council consists of four barristers nominated by the Bar Association and four solicitors nominated by the Law Society and three lay members. The Chairmanship of the Duty Lawyer Service Council is rotated annually between the nominees of the Bar Association and the Law Society.

2.3 The Council of the Service met seven times during the year. In addition to overseeing and directing the Schemes’ operation generally, the Council formulates policy and reviews existing policy in the administration of the Schemes’ programmes. The Administrator (a barrister), the Chief Court Liaison Officer and the Committee Secretary attended all the Council meetings.

2.4 The Council membership is listed at Appendix A-1, the Register of Members is listed at Appendix A-2 and the administrative structure of the Schemes is set out in diagrammatic form at Appendix A-3.

2.5 Two subcommittees chaired by the Chief Court Liaison Officer continued to meet regularly during the year. These subcommittees, comprising representatives of the Court Liaison Officers and Secretaries, facilitated communication between the Liaison Office staff and the Administration. The list of the Service employees appears at Appendix A-4.