Law Society issues LBA on Criminal Legal Aid Crisis

The Law Society has confirmed that is has issued a letter before Action to the SSJ over the Governments irrational and unlawful approach to implementation of the emergency measures to be taken to the crisis in Criminal Legal Aid as recommended by The Bellamy Report .

“We argue the lord chancellor’s decision not to remunerate solicitors by the bare minimum 15% recommended by the government's own independent review is unlawful,” said our president Lubna Shuja.

The same can be said for the decision not to take action to address the risk of local market failure. We're asking the government to withdraw both decisions and reconsider them within a mutually agreed timetable.

If not, we will consider whether it's appropriate to issue a judicial review seeking an order to quash them. We argue both decisions are irrational and inconsistent with the constitutional right of access to justice,”

The Government has been offered the option of independent mediation

We will post more news on this as we get it