“It has been two years since the Bellamy review recommended a minimum 15% uplift in fees for both solicitors and barristers, as soon as possible, to nurse the criminal legal aid sector back to health. In its final response to the review, published a year later, the Ministry of Justice said fees to solicitor firms would rise by around 11%.”
Today marks a watershed moment for criminal legal aid as a High Court showdown opens between the Law Society and government over solicitors’ fees.
In court 3 of the Royal Courts of Justice, Lord Justice Singh and Mr Justice Jay will hear a judicial review over the government’s decision not to raise criminal legal aid fees by the minimum 15% recommended by the independent criminal legal aid review.
Counsel for the Law Society will argue that by ignoring the independent review’s recommendations, the government’s decision was irrational, lacked evidence-based reasons and breached the constitutional right of access to justice.
It has been two years since the Bellamy review recommended a minimum 15% uplift in fees for both solicitors and barristers, as soon as possible, to nurse the criminal legal aid sector back to health. In its final response to the review, published a year later, the Ministry of Justice said fees to solicitor firms would rise by around 11%.
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