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{{EngvarB|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Expert needed|United Kingdom|talk=|reason=The [[King%
[[File:QC Court robes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|A 1903 caricature of King's Counsel [[Robert McCall (barrister)|Robert McCall]], wearing his court robes at the Bar of England and Wales. For court, he wears a short wig, and [[Bands (neckwear)|bands]] instead of lace at the collar, but he retains the silk gown and court tailcoat worn on ceremonial occasions.]]
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Appointment as King's Counsel is an office recognised by [[court]]s. Members in the UK have the privilege of sitting within the inner [[Bar (law)|bar]] of court. As members wear silk gowns of a particular design, appointment as King's Counsel is known informally as ''taking silk'' and KCs are often colloquially called ''silks''.<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary,'' v. Silk.</ref> Appointments are made from within the legal profession on the basis of merit and not a particular level of experience. Successful applicants are normally [[barrister]]s, or in Scotland, [[advocate]]s, with at least 15 years of experience.
== Historical origins in England and Wales ==
===Historical background===
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===Death of Queen Elizabeth II===
Upon the [[death of Queen Elizabeth II]] and the succession of [[Charles III]], the [[General Council of the Bar]] wrote that all QC titles changed to KC "with immediate effect".<ref>{{cite tweet |title=We have been advised by the Crown Office that the title Queen's Counsel (QC) changes to King's Counsel (KC) with immediate effect. The change is automatic so there are no new Letters Patent. |user=thebarcouncil | number=1567941550289592329 |author=Bar Council |access-date=8 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref> This was not a matter of
==Countries that retain the designation==
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In response, the Premier of Ontario promised on 18 July 2023 to change how King's Counsel designations would be awarded to lawyers. A spokesman for the [[Attorney General of Ontario]] said that in the future there will be a public application process and lawyers will have to demonstrate "a significant contribution to our justice system and work in the public interest."<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-doug-ford-says-ontario-to-change-kings-counsel-designation-for-lawyers/ Laura Stone, "Doug Ford says Ontario to change King's Counsel designation for lawyers after patronage complaints", Globe & Mail, 18 July 2023].</ref> At a press conference to discuss the decision of the Federal Impact Assessment Act on 30 November 2023, in answer to a reporter's question, the Attorney General of Ontario advised that a new process for awarding King's Counsel designations by the Government of Ontario should be announced "soon" and "shortly." Despite calls for the appointments in June 2023 to be rescinded, the Attorney General also confirmed that "all of the individuals who received [a King's Counsel designation] through service to the Crown will retain their designation".<ref>[Press Conference 30 November 2023 CPAC "Ontario to Apply for Judicial Review of Federal Impact Assessment Act Decision"]</ref> The head of the [[Law Society of Ontario]] had been offered a KC appointment but declined owing to the lack of selection criteria. In November 2023, the Advocates' Society wrote to the Attorney General to say that the main criterion for a KC appointment should be professional excellence rather than political affiliation and patronage, stating "If the designation is permitted to fall into such disrepute again, public confidence in the legal profession will be undermined".<ref name="Ford">{{cite news |last1=Benzie |first1=Robert |title=Doug Ford promised to end the King’s Counsel controversy. Now he says no one cares |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-promised-to-end-the-kings-counsel-controversy-now-he-says-no-one-cares/article_2c975298-501a-11ef-8222-77239c1ec2e6.html |access-date=August 2, 2024 |work=Toronto Star |date=August 1, 2024}}</ref>
In August 2024, Premier [[Doug Ford]] said that the plan to create a protocol for KC appointments was not a priority, stating: "People don't give two hoots if they have KC behind their names."<ref name="Ford"/> No further appointments have been made since July 2023, and the government has given no indication that it will make appointments in the future.
===== Prince Edward Island =====
The Lieutenant Governor in Council (i.e. the provincial Cabinet) makes appointments on the recommendation of a committee consisting of the President of the Law Society of Prince Edward Island, a member of the council of the Law Society, a person appointed by the provincial Minister of Justice, a judge of either the [[Court of Appeal of Prince Edward Island|Court of Appeal]] or the [[Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island]], and a judge of the [[Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island]]. The committee's recommendations must be carried by at least a {{frac|4|5}} vote.<ref>[http://www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutes/pdf/l-06_1.pdf ''Legal Profession Act''], RSPEI, c L-6.1, s 34.</ref> To be considered for appointment, a lawyer must have 10 years at the bar of Prince Edward Island.<ref>"[http://lawsocietypei.ca/honours-awards Honours & Awards - Queen's Counsel (QC)]". Law Society of Prince Edward Island.</ref>
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|Nominations by a committee (consisting of the chief justice, the president of the Court of Appeal, the attorney general, the chairman of the General Legal Council, the president of the Jamaican Bar Association, the president of the Advocate’s Association and a representative of the King’s Counsel Group) are forwarded to the governor general, acting on the advice of the prime minister.
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|Applications made to the Silk Advisory Committee of the [[Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States]]. Recommendations made to the governor, acting on the advice of the premier
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