Criminal lawyers south of the border are to withdraw from legal aid work over a pay dispute with ministers. The Law Society is to advise its members to consider withdrawing from legal aid work or scaling it back until the UK government provides a "meaningful response" to lawyers' demands.
Legal Aid
Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk is being taken to the High Court by lawyers who say legal aid fees are so low they cannot provide representation to thousands of people. The case revolves around access to legal aid for immigration and asylum lawyers and is being brought by Duncan Lewis solicitors.
The Law Society of Scotland is to withdraw from discussions on the creation of a review mechanism for legal aid fees, stating it had "lost confidence" in the Scottish government project following a lack of progress in two years. The Legal Aid Remuneration Project and Research Analysis Group were set
The number of criminal legal aid solicitors dropped from 1,459 in 2007 to 966, the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association (SSBA) has said as it warned the system was heading for collapse. The Scottish government's public spend on legal aid has declined by 45 per cent, allowing for inflation, over the p
The Scottish government’s 2024-25 budget continues its distorted and shortsighted approach to criminal justice, according to the Law Society of Scotland. The budget papers reveal an extra £22 million has been provided to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), while the f
The Scottish Legal Aid Board has confirmed that as at 1 June 2023 there were 975 lawyers on the Criminal Legal Aid Register, following a freedom of information request by the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association (SSBA). Of those 975, however, 238 received no payment for criminal legal aid in the year
Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland are to stage a one-day strike on Friday 17 November 2023 in an escalating dispute over delays in legal aid payments. The local Criminal Bar Association (CBA) previously balloted members on a withdrawal of services in response to “unprecedented and worsen
Scotland's legal aid system "can't cope" with demand and there is a risk of a "total collapse of justice in Scotland", a senior criminal defence lawyer has said after being unable to find counsel for a serious High Court case. Ian Moir, partner at Moir and Sweeney Litigation, tweeted on Friday that
Scotland's legal aid system is in "deep crisis" and requires urgent reform, the Law Society of Scotland has said following the publication of figures showing a 14 per cent increase in legal aid spend in the past year. The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) yesterday published its annual report showing
Tony Lenehan KC was the top earner on the Scottish legal aid scheme last year, taking in £400,000 in fees – up 16 per cent on the previous year, when he was second to Donald Findlay KC. The annual figures published today show Ronaldo Renucci KC taking second place with £336,000 in
New legislation is needed to ensure Scotland's legal aid system remains modern, responsive and targeted, the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) has said as new figures show costs rose by 14 per cent to £135 million in 2022/23. The rise in expenditure, revealed in SLAB's latest annual report, was
Scotland's legal aid sector has been "left in the dark" for another year, the Law Society of Scotland has said in the wake of First Minister Humza Yousaf's unveiling of his first programme for government. Mr Yousaf yesterday announced welcome changes in areas of concern for the justice sector includ
The Bar Council of Ireland has called on criminal barristers to take part in a one-day strike this October in a major escalation of its campaign for fee restoration, our sister publication Irish Legal News reports. Sara Phelan SC, chair, said the Bar Council had been "left with no choice" as a resul
The Law Society of England and Wales has been granted permission by the High Court to bring a judicial review challenge against the UK government over legal aid. The application for permission was made after the government failed to increase criminal defence solicitors’ legal aid rates by the
Prosecution barristers are to receive a 15 per cent pay rise after a deal was made with the Treasury. The director of public prosecutions announced that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had “secured additional funding” from ministers.