Catherine Atkinson MP succeeds Andy Slaughter, bringing 17 years’ experience at the Bar.
Catherine Atkinson MP has become the new Chair of the Justice Select Committee, taking over from Andy Slaughter MP. The appointment has been welcomed by the Bar Council, which highlighted Atkinson’s 17 years’ experience at the Bar and her previous work on access to justice and legal aid.
Atkinson previously practised as a barrister at Deka Chambers, where she had a wide-ranging practice with particular interests in personal injury, employment, fraud and public family cases.
The Justice Committee Chair brings previous parliamentary experience on justice-related issues. The Bar Council said it has a strong working relationship with Atkinson through her work chairing the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and Access to Justice.
Bar Council Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC congratulated Atkinson on her election and highlighted her experience at the publicly funded Bar as well as her understanding of the justice system.
The Bar Council also identified several issues connected with Atkinson’s previous parliamentary work, including people’s access to justice, legal aid and long-term investment in what it described as a “stressed and neglected system”.
Brimelow said the Bar Council looked forward to continuing to work with Atkinson “for the benefit of civil, criminal and family justice”.
The source does not announce any new legal rule or procedural change arising from the appointment. Its immediate significance for the profession is the change in leadership of the Justice Select Committee and the Bar Council’s stated intention to continue engagement with its new Chair on justice-related issues.