The Bar Council hit back yesterday at criticism that its members were a 'self-perpetuating elite' who had strayed beyond the council's remit in comments on the rule of law.
Senior Counsel Desmond Keane attacked the Bar Council's member selection process on Sunday in a letter to member heads, Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie, the Law Society and the media.
He criticised the proxy voting system, which allows a candidate or their supporter to collect votes openly.
Mr Keane felt the system could lead to feelings of intimidation - especially by junior barristers.
He recommended that candidates be selected via secret ballot, which he said would prevent undesirable influence from coming into play.
But the Bar Council, which governs the Bar Association, defended its voting methods and said that proxy and secret votes were treated equally.
