Sheffield Crown Court 20th November – Legal Aid Protest

Paul Prior, a Barrister at 36 Bedford Row calls Upon Doncaster & District Law Society Members to support the fight to save Criminal Legal Aid 

I would be grateful if this email could be distributed to all of your members.

I am emailing you to invite you to Sheffield Crown Court on 20/11/13 to take part in a group photograph being taken with our banner (@justicebanner on twitter) to oppose the plans for legal aid in the Criminal Justice System. A banner has been made opposing the plans and all local solicitors and barristers have been invited. All the local media has been invited and we the more people who attend, the greater a point we make. The banner is touring courts in England and Wales. The press will attend.  If you could arrive at about 9:20am we will take the photo promptly at 9:30am.  I would be grateful if you could spread the word in your local area. I would particularly urge non-crime firms to attend. We often say we hold the government to account as lawyers and this is the time to prove it. The more people who attend, the greater a point we make.

I will not rehearse all the reasons why the plans for Criminal Justice are flawed, save to say the Criminal Justice System is under assault. The Bar and the traditional local firm face extinction under the proposals that are currently under consultation.