NSW Bar Association President Bret Walker has criticised Small Business Minister Joe Hockey for calling for an end to no-win-no-fee arrangements. The minister reckons such contingency fees are a contributing factor to the rise in liability premiums.

Commenting in an article in The Australian Financial Review on Mr Hockey’s argument that reform of the legal profession has failed and lawyers should not be able to advertise or provide services without charging, Mr Walker said the proposal is “a threat to justice, especially for those who are financially disadvantaged”.

“Very few claims are within the financial capacity of somebody on the average wage, let alone a pension, to fund upfront,” he said. “If injured people in that position had to pay their lawyers come what may, or had to pay before the case started, or had to pay even if they lost the case and got no damages at all, justice very often would not be done.”