News
Legal aid lawyers ‘paid less than sewage workers’
- 23rd November 2009
A new report released by the Guardian reveals that some legal aid lawyers are being paid less than sewage workers. The survey shows that solicitors providing legal aid services are among the worst paid in the public sector according to a recent survey, earning around £25,000. The figure is well below the average salary of a prison officer, nurse, police officer or secondary school teacher - while civil servants earn around £70,000.
The Law Society has reacted by urging that no more legal aid fee cuts are incurred saying “enough is enough”. Carol Storer, director of the Legal Aid Practitioners’ Group (LAPG) says: “We think that there will be difficult times ahead whatever government is in place next Spring because of the country's financial position.
The role of legal aid lawyers is so important - advising and representing often very vulnerable people who would otherwise be unable to obtain advice or be represented in court actions. We hope that those thinking of going into legal aid work will not be put off by the figure but will still aspire to be part of a hugely important public service.”
To access the Guardian’s report, which includes the salaries of individuals from top media personalities and celebrities to the most important lawyers in the UK, visit http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=tD4F8x73jNXTW3Q-uhrRm9g
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