§ 27 — Related amendments to Legal Profession Act 1966

27.—(1) Section 29(2) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended —(a)

by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (e); and

(b)

by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (f) and substituting a semi‑colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraphs:“(g)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of the Public Defenders Act 2022; and

(h)

a public defender mentioned in section 3(8)(b) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of that Act.”.

(2) Section 34(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph (ca), the following paragraphs:“(cb)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender acting in the course of the functions of the Chief Public Defender, Deputy Chief Public Defender or Assistant Chief Public Defender (as the case may be) under the provisions of the Public Defenders Act 2022;

(cc)

a public defender appointed under section 3(6) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 acting in the course of that public defender’s functions under that Act;”.

(3) Section 82 of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended —(a)

by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and substituting a semi‑colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph: “(d)

a PD Officer.”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after subsection (2), the following subsection:“(3) In this Part, “PD Officer” means —(a)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender appointed under section 3 of the Public Defenders Act 2022; or

(b)

a public defender appointed under section 3(6) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 who is a public officer and a qualified person.”; and

(c)

by deleting the words “and Legal Service Officers” in the section heading and substituting the words “, Legal Service Officers and PD Officers”.

(4) Section 82A of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended —(a)

by deleting the words “or Legal Service Officer” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “, Legal Service Officer or PD Officer”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the words “Legal Service Officers” in subsection (2), the words “, PD Officers”;

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the words “a Legal Service Officer” wherever they appear in subsection (3), the words “, a PD Officer”;

(d)

by inserting, immediately after the words “, Legal Service Officer” wherever they appear in subsections (4), (5), (6A), (8), (9), (10) and (12)(a), the words “, PD Officer”;

(e)

by deleting the words “or a Legal Service Officer” in subsection (10) and substituting the words “, a Legal Service Officer or a PD Officer”; and

(f)

by deleting the words “and non‑practising solicitors” in the section heading and substituting the words “, PD Officers and non‑practising solicitors”.

(5) Section 94A(3) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended by deleting the words “or Legal Service Officer” and substituting the words “, Legal Service Officer or PD Officer”.

(6) Section 98A(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended by inserting, immediately after the words “, Legal Service Officer” wherever they appear, the words “, PD Officer”.

—(1) Section 29(2) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended —(a)

by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (e); and

(b)

by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (f) and substituting a semi‑colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraphs:“(g)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of the Public Defenders Act 2022; and

(h)

a public defender mentioned in section 3(8)(b) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of that Act.”.

(2) Section 34(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph (ca), the following paragraphs:“(cb)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender acting in the course of the functions of the Chief Public Defender, Deputy Chief Public Defender or Assistant Chief Public Defender (as the case may be) under the provisions of the Public Defenders Act 2022;

(cc)

a public defender appointed under section 3(6) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 acting in the course of that public defender’s functions under that Act;”.

(3) Section 82 of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended —(a)

by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and substituting a semi‑colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph: “(d)

a PD Officer.”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after subsection (2), the following subsection:“(3) In this Part, “PD Officer” means —(a)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender appointed under section 3 of the Public Defenders Act 2022; or

(b)

a public defender appointed under section 3(6) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 who is a public officer and a qualified person.”; and

(c)

by deleting the words “and Legal Service Officers” in the section heading and substituting the words “, Legal Service Officers and PD Officers”.

“(3) In this Part, “PD Officer” means —(a)

the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender appointed under section 3 of the Public Defenders Act 2022; or

(b)

a public defender appointed under section 3(6) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 who is a public officer and a qualified person.”; and

(4) Section 82A of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended —(a)

by deleting the words “or Legal Service Officer” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “, Legal Service Officer or PD Officer”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the words “Legal Service Officers” in subsection (2), the words “, PD Officers”;

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the words “a Legal Service Officer” wherever they appear in subsection (3), the words “, a PD Officer”;

(d)

by inserting, immediately after the words “, Legal Service Officer” wherever they appear in subsections (4), (5), (6A), (8), (9), (10) and (12)(a), the words “, PD Officer”;

(e)

by deleting the words “or a Legal Service Officer” in subsection (10) and substituting the words “, a Legal Service Officer or a PD Officer”; and

(f)

by deleting the words “and non‑practising solicitors” in the section heading and substituting the words “, PD Officers and non‑practising solicitors”.

(5) Section 94A(3) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended by deleting the words “or Legal Service Officer” and substituting the words “, Legal Service Officer or PD Officer”.

(6) Section 98A(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended by inserting, immediately after the words “, Legal Service Officer” wherever they appear, the words “, PD Officer”.