Garnier to Review Manx Legal System, Naturally

A Tory Peer is to review the island’s legal system, the Justice and Home Affairs Minister has announced.

Lord Edward Garnier QC, a former lawyer for the Guardian, will undertake a complete review of the system and make recommendations on what reforms are needed.

Minister Jane Poole-Wilson, who found herself in the unusual position of responding to a report she was heavily involved in writing during the last administration, reminded members that in that report, her committee made several recommendations to update the island’s legal system.

She said: ‘A key pay of the recommendations arising from the report was an independent review of legal services in the Isle of Man. This review would consider the issues arising in the report and make recommendations for how change should be effected.’

Mrs Poole-Wilson said ‘after much consideration’, Lord Garner had agreed to undertake what she said would be a ‘robust’ review. She added that she wants as wide a review as possible and expected the judiciary, the Isle of Man Law Society and the Solicitor Generals will be consulted, as well as others who practice law but are not part of the Manx bar are also heard, as well as the public and businesses who use legal services.

Timescales for the review will be finalised shortly and the final report will in time come back to Tynwald for further debate.

You can hear the entire motion statement below: