News article | 02-06-2023 | 15:00
The government adopts the recommendations of the Lawyers Services Committee to the state. At the end of 2022, this committee issued opinions on how to advise and assist the national government in cases that require independent legal advice and assistance. A government agency that can fully provide legal services to the state is not advisable. However, more use of other law firms besides the state attorney is recommended. It is also recommended to provide a better overview of pending state cases.
The committee’s recommendations are a reason to consider, in addition to the contract with the attorney general’s office, how contracts that some departments already have with other law firms can be extended to other departments. Efforts are also made to standardize the terms and conditions of contracts as much as possible. It is expected that the state will then make it easier to use offices other than the attorney general and create more options in the services of attorneys.
The Commission’s investigation shows that large law firms other than the current Attorney General Pels Rijcken are less inclined to involve the State as a major client in a wide area and, in any case, do not want to abstain from the state, as Pels Rijcken does. The offices would be interested in part of the missions of the State.
Overview of Lawyer Services
According to the Committee, a greater number of options for state attorneys’ services also gives a better idea of the value for money of the attorneys’ services provided. In order to better understand the legal services provided, the method of working abroad was also examined. Following the Danish national contract, the government has also included a provision in a new state contract with the National Advocate’s Office for a better overview of pending cases.
The government has also pledged to strengthen central coordination within ministries for better control of lawyers’ services. By recording data in a more structural and uniform way and discussing it periodically at inter-ministerial level, it is expected that ministries will be better able to identify developments and therefore greater consideration when choices for purchasing attorney services.
Public prosecutor’s contract
With the creation of the committee in May 2022 after the Pels Rijcken fraud case, the contract with the state prosecutor had already been amended with additional requirements regarding business operations within the office. This contract was further amended in response to the Committee’s advice. Over the years, the state attorney has been fully trained according to the needs of the state. The committee sees as a great strength of Pels Rijcken the fact that he possesses an institutional memory regarding the legal issues in which the state is or has been involved. However, the downside is that it is also addictive. The government therefore recognizes the importance of increasing options in the services of lawyers and the need for stricter control and a better understanding of pending cases.