LAPG – Representing Legal Aid Practitioners
We work closely with other representative bodies to raise awareness about the importance of legal aid and the work of legal aid practitioners. We raise concerns with government about policy and operational issues in an effort to improve the current system which excludes some of the most vulnerable members of society. Download a copy of the October 2021 Westminster Commission on Legal Aid’s report for a detailed exposition of the issues across the broken legal aid system. We fully endorse the Commission’s recommendations for increasing access for clients and improving sustainability for providers.
We also support Members to understand the complexities of the system and improve their sustainability. We provide training, assist with operational issues, provide resources and give practitioners a collective voice with government.
Help Fight for Legal Aid and Access to Justice
Membership
Become a member of LAPG
LAPG represents practitioners across England and Wales. We campaign on behalf of our membership and have ongoing dialogue with the LAA and MOJ to raise issues of concern to legal aid practitioners – solicitors, barristers, legal executives, caseworkers, costs lawyers – anyone working in and delivering legal aid services. Members of LAPG receive regular updates about developments in the operation of the legal aid scheme and policy issues. Members have access to discounted training courses and events such as our well-regarded annual conference.
Training
Category Specific Legal Aid Training
We now have three courses in our Online Legal Aid Training series that aims to provide training on a category specific level. We currently offer the Introduction to Civil Legal Aid, Introduction to Mental Health, Mental Capacity and Community Care Legal Aid and the Introduction to Immigration & Asylum Legal Aid. These courses are aimed at junior lawyer, trainees, paralegals as well as those wishing to refresh their knowledge in these areas. These courses are online self-study modular courses that you complete at your own pace, with external links for up to date information. We plan to continue to roll out courses covering different categories of legal aid.
News
LAPG research on the ‘hidden costs’ of delivering legal aid
Senior staff working through the weekend. Employees working well [...]
Awards
The 2025 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards
Winners of the 2025 LALYs have now been announced – congratulations to all our legal aid heroes! Learn more about them here.
For more information, please visit our dedicated LALY page.
Events
LAPG 2025 Conference
We are delighted to confirm that the LAPG Annual Conference will take place on 20th October at A&O Shearman.
Management Training
Legal Aid Supervision Course
Make sure you comply with the supervision requirements in the current crime and civil contracts.
If you need to attend a course to qualify as a legal aid supervisor, or check that you are up to date with the latest requirements, this is the course for you! Legal aid supervisors need knowledge of their subject and practice experience, which we can’t do for you; but if you are new to supervision, or haven’t supervised a full-time equivalent caseworker in the past 5 years, this course will ensure you meet the LAA’s Generic Supervisor Requirements (Section 2(ii) of the Supervisor Self-Declaration Forms).