Legal aid strike ends after 52 days in a ‘goodwill gesture’

On 1 July 2015, both criminal solicitors and barristers went on a legal aid strike. Legal aid can help with the cost of legal affairs by providing advice, family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal for people if they cannot afford it.

Lawyers in London, Leeds and Manchester voted unanimously in a ballot to refuse to provide legal aid in the face of further fee cuts imposed by the government.

This proposed 8.75% cut would have been the second cut in 15 months and incur an overall reduction in fees of 17.5%

London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA) released a statement saying: “Any firm acting for clients under a Legal Aid Order at the rates set after 1 July, must be either running at a loss, or not properly representing their client to the appropriate professional standard.”

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) decided in June that it would not officially take action against the cuts, but barristers in Liverpool disregarded this official stance, deciding instead to join ranks with solicitors in order to protest. Other CBA members followed suit on the 27 July by refusing to take on new cases.

According to some news reports, during the strikes defendants charged with serious allegations have been forced to stand in court without aid. On 10 August, two defendants charged with murder stood in Sheffield Crown Court without any legal representation.

After 52 days continuous striking criminal lawyers will be back to providing legal aid with immediate effect.

In a joint statement the Criminal Lawyers Association (CLA) and the LCCSA elaborated upon the end to the strike. They said: “In recent weeks, the leaders of the practitioner groups have had the opportunity to engage with the Ministry of Justice and by so doing, have been able to provide ideas for long terms savings as a direct alternative to a cut in rates.”

“Although no offer to settle the issue has yet been made, as a gesture of goodwill and recognising the importance of this engagement we firmly believe that the time is right to suspend the action with immediate effect.

“By doing so we hope the relationship which has now been established will continue into the future. There are many challenges ahead and the engagement to date is a sign that those challenges can be debated constructively in a receptive atmosphere.”

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