Lawyers in England and Wales are poised to withdraw from criminal legal aid work due to a pay dispute with the Government,
which could severely impact the justice system.
The Law Society, representing over 200,000 solicitors, plans to advise members to “withdraw or scale back” their legal aid services unless a
“meaningful” response is received from ministers.
Incoming president Richard Atkinson expressed dismay at the Government’s failure to increase legal aid rates by 15%, despite a judicial review ruling
that mandated such an increase.
He stated: “Delay, delay, delay with no concrete timeline for action” is unacceptable for victims and defendants alike.
The Law Society will soon issue guidance to help firms navigate this crisis, as Atkinson noted that the goodwill of criminal legal aid lawyers has “run out.”
Source: http://@CrimeLineLaw
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