Law Society secures further meeting with lord chancellor for criminal legal aid solicitors
Criminal legal aid - roundtable with the Ministry of Justice
The Law Society has secured a face-to-face roundtable for criminal legal aid solicitors with the Lord Chancellor. This central London meeting will be the fourth such event for frontline solicitors since May 2013.
The meeting will provide criminal legal aid solicitors including, among others, local law societies, the Criminal Law Solicitors' Association, BAME groups, London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association, Legal Aid Practitioners Group, with the opportunity to, once again, directly voice their concerns about cuts to criminal legal aid, raise specific issues and discuss at a high level the latest developments regarding the government's plans, including two-tier duty contracts.
This high-level engagement takes place as criminal lawyers around the country await the government announcement, which was originally expected before Christmas. The meeting comes as a result of the Society's policy to engage with the Ministry of Justice to try to secure long term sustainability in the criminal legal aid sector by using properly evidenced and considered alternatives.
The meeting with the Lord Chancellor, which will be will be held under Chatham House rule, follows a series of engagement sessions across England and Wales hosted by the Law Society to secure the widest possible participation of practitioners in frank and constructive conversations to examine and highlight the most detrimental aspects of the government's proposals.
Law Society president Nicholas Fluck said:
'The Law Society has consistently opposed the proposed fee cuts. Our evidence demonstrates that the cuts pose a substantial risk to the sustainability of criminal defence providers.
'It is crucial that the Lord Chancellor continues to hear from frontline practitioners as they are at the heart of the criminal justice system.
'Our engagement programme with solicitors continues and future events are planned, including Exeter and Cornwall. We want to hear the views of practitioners specialising in criminal legal aid.
