The COVID-19 crisis has had a significant impact on the functioning of the court system, with all courts initially closing and then a partial and gradual resumption of hearings in different geographic and practice areas. Over the past few months, some have re-opened but with limited capacity to manage the backlog of cases. One [...]
This consultation was launched by the LAA on 2 June 2020 and followed intervention by LAPG and other bodies requesting more flexibility over the POA system and other forms of interim or staged payment mechanisms to alleviate cash flow concerns for legal aid providers. The LAA has proposed an amendment to the Costs Assessment [...]
We are acutely aware of the precipice on which criminal defence firms currently exist. We were encouraged by the idea of the Criminal Legal Aid Review (CLAR), and hopeful that there may be a commitment to pay legal aid practitioners fairly for work done. We understood that the process would take time, to ensure [...]
The Lord Chancellor has responded to a join letter from LAPG and the Association of Prison Lawyers raising concerns about practical arrangements for private legal consultations with people in custody during the current ‘lockdown’ period. During this time people in prison continue to have urgent legal matters across all areas of law that require [...]
LAPG and APL have written to the Lord Chancellor about practical arrangements for private legal consultations with people in custody during the current ‘lockdown’ period. During this time people in prison continue to have urgent legal matters across all areas of law that require them to have contact with their lawyers. Read the full [...]
HLPA, LCN and LAPG have written to the Ministry of Justice calling for urgent changes to the JR regulations which are impeding access to justice during these extraordinary times, putting people at risk as the Government has removed statutory duties to assess and provide care to adults and has provided local government with wide [...]
During these unprecedented and worrying times we are publishing some of our Member Updates as and when they contain information of general use to the sector. Update 11 of 2020 covers: LAPG requests urgent financial relief for providers from the LAA New LAPG Covid-19 helpline for legal aid providers to start imminently DG Legal [...]
With thanks again to consultant Matthew Howgate, we have published the following updated guidance on Legal Aid Agency (LAA) contract compliance in the wake of the measures introduced by the LAA and the steps that providers are needing to take during the COVID-19 crisis. This guidance takes into account and seeks to interpret LAA [...]
With thanks to consultant Matthew Howgate, we have published the following guidance on Legal Aid Agency (LAA) contract compliance in the wake of the measures introduced by the LAA and the steps that providers are needing to take during the COVID-19 crisis. This guidance takes into account and seeks to interpret LAA guidance released [...]
In recent weeks we have been working with a group of experienced legal aid lawyers to try to get a better understanding of what appears to be a growing and pressing problem: the apparent ‘culture of refusal’ within the LAA. We have agreed that to gauge the extent of this issue we need a [...]