Stop Press! LALY deadline extended to 23.59PM on Tuesday, 2nd of May 2017
We have had a fabulous response to our call for LALY 2017 nominations and have decided to extend the deadline to 23.59 on Tuesday, 2nd of May 2017 to avoid any complications with the Bank Holiday. Remember that if you have already submitted a nomination and want to add additional supporting documentation you can submit… continue reading
North & West Kent Citizens Advice and Kent Law Centre is looking for Housing Solicitor (Kent or Fully Remote)
North & West Kent Citizens Advice and Kent Law Centre is expanding its specialist housing legal team — and they are looking for a committed Housing Solicitor who shares their passion for social justice. This is an exciting moment to join them. They support over 19,000 clients each year across North and West Kent, and… continue reading
Management and Leadership Programme
About The Management & Leadership Programme (MLP) is a unique, sector-specific learning journey for managers and emerging leaders working in law centres, CABx, and other advice charities. It’s designed to help the people who hold the sector together – those managing teams, projects and organisations – to develop the skills, confidence and perspective they need… continue reading
Our History
A Brief History of LAPG Carol Storer OBE, LAPG Director from 2008–2018, has been thumbing through the LAPG archives and will be helping us to publish a detailed online history of LAPG later this year. In the meantime, Carol has sampled some pithy comments from the early years: – Legal aid practitioners will look back… continue reading
LAPG Conference 2025
Monday 20th October 2025
LALYs 2025
This Year’s Winners LALYs 2025 Programme Some guidance on how to submit nominations 2024 LALY Winners Thank you to our other generous Supporters and Sponsors Thank you Richard Gray and Frederique Bellec for always capturing the magic of the event
Training & Support
We offer legal aid specific training as well as management training for private practice and not-for-profit agencies.
LALY Awards
“One for all and all for legal aid!”
Response to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) announcement on Increases to Housing and Immigration Civil Legal Aid Fees
Housing Law Practitioners’ Association (HLPA), Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG), Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) and Law Centres Network (LCN) respond to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) announcement on Increases to Housing and Immigration Civil Legal Aid Fees 2 July 2025 HLPA, LAPG, ILPA and LCN welcome today’s confirmation from the MOJ that fees for housing… continue reading
Terms and conditions
Welcome to the LAPG website. By accessing, browsing or using this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following Terms of Use (the “Terms”) and all terms and conditions incorporated by reference. Please review these Terms carefully before using the LAPG Website. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS,… continue reading
Register
LAPG Conference 2024
The LAPG Annual Conference took place on Friday, 8th of November 2024 at Herbert Smith Freehills.
LAPG Membership
Join now to help us fight for legal aid in the face of the Legal Support Action Plan.
About
LAPG is a membership body representing legal aid practitioners in England and Wales and the clients they serve.
LAPG responds to MOJ announcement about consultation on increasing some civil legal aid fees
Today’s announcement by the Lord Chancellor of a consultation on increasing fees for two critical areas of civil legal aid represents a significant step forward. It represents a continuation of the positive shift in approach by this government after decades of regressive policymaking in relation to legal aid. It is also encouraging that the government… continue reading
Legal Aid’s 75th Anniversary: A diamond in the rough
Something incredible happened 75 years ago today. The Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 received royal assent, paving the way for the establishment of the legal aid scheme. The scheme was described by the AG at the time as a ‘charter of the little man to the British courts of justice […] without regard to… continue reading
LAPG announces winners of the 2024 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards
Solicitor behind legal challenges that halted flights to Rwanda named as winner of Outstanding Achievement award. Former MP Karen Buck honoured for commitment to legal aid and housing justice with a Special Award from LAPG Board. Toufique Hossain, Director of Public Law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, has been named as winner of the top accolade… continue reading
LAPG Statement on the Government’s published response to the Legal Aid Means Test Review
Following a long engagement and consultation process, the Government has now published its response to the Legal Aid Means Test Review. This sets out the changes it intends to make to the process of determining who is financially eligible to receive civil and criminal legal aid services in England and Wales. The Government has put… continue reading
The Fragility of Civil Legal Aid by Matthew Howgate
“At the heart of any review of the civil legal aid scheme should be the simple principle that legal aid should always pay enough to cover costs and, if possible, allow just a little profit to invest in its future.” By Matthew Howgate FCMI, Organisation Development Consultant and Head of the LAPG Management & Leadership… continue reading
The Fragility of Civil Legal Aid by Matthew Howgate
“At the heart of any review of the civil legal aid scheme should be the simple principle that legal aid should always pay enough to cover costs and, if possible, allow just a little profit to invest in its future.” By Matthew Howgate FCMI, Organisation Development Consultant and Head of the LAPG Management & Leadership… continue reading
The frustrations of being a Legal aid lawyer – Volume 1 by Patricia Beckett (Wilsons Solicitors)
Not a day passes when I don’t feel intense frustration about the government’s unconcealed disdain for legal aid lawyers. Legal aid lawyers are an amazing, but fast dwindling, group of human beings. No-one really just ends up being a legal aid lawyer, it’s a conscious decision the practitioner makes either when looking for a training… continue reading
Judicial Review – even when permission is refused on papers, you can always claim something! by Paul Seddon (Seddon Costs Law)
I recently received a solicitor’s instruction to prepare a claim for costs on judicial review. The solicitor mentioned that there was another JR for the same client but she understood that nothing could be claimed because permission was refused. But this isn’t the case, at the very least you can claim the issue fee and… continue reading
LAPG Statement on the Government’s Announcement of a Review of Civil Legal Aid
The government announcement yesterday that it will carry out a formal review of the civil legal aid system, to include independent research and analysis, is a welcome admission that so much more needs to be done to ensure that access to justice is a reality for all citizens and not simply empty rhetoric. However, we… continue reading
LAPG announces shortlist for 2022 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards
The lawyer acting for an autistic teenager denied a potentially life-saving kidney transplant; one of the defence solicitors in the Colston Four case; and the first UK university advice clinic to secure a legal aid contract, are among the 29 individuals and six organisations selected as LALY22 finalists. New for LALY22: Legal Aid Support Staffer… continue reading
LAPG publishes the findings of the 2021 Legal Aid Census
LAPG publishes the Legal Aid Census – the first piece of research of its kind to look at the social justice sector as a whole. Unique research tells the story of legal aid lawyers across England and Wales – from entry to the profession, throughout their careers, and beyond. As legal aid deserts spread throughout… continue reading
Winners announced for the 2021 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards!
This year’s LALY winners were announced last Tuesday 6th of July. What a wonderful night celebrating once again our Legal Aid heroes. Read our official press release here to get all the details.
LAPG announces Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards 2021 finalists
A housing barrister who is playing a leading role in challenging ‘No DSS’ landlords; and a solicitor who defended the parents of ‘Jihadi Jack’ Letts, have been honoured by this year’s LALY awards judges. The pair are among 26 individuals and nine organisations chosen as finalists in the Legal Aid Practitioners Group 2021 Legal Aid… continue reading
LAPG launches 2021 Legal Aid Census ‘to show true state of social justice sector’
Lawyers across England and Wales are urged to ‘stand up and be counted’, by taking part in a unique drive to gather data from the legal aid front line. LAPG survey has been devised in conjunction with leading legal academics from Newcastle University Law School, Cardiff University and University College London who will be analysing… continue reading
LAPG makes four special awards, to honour the ‘social justice heroes of the pandemic’
‘We are proud to recognise colleagues whose decisive actions at the start of the outbreak and since have helped save many lives,’ says LAPG CEO Chris Minnoch. Three individuals and one organisation are being recognised by LAPG during this uniquely challenging year (further details about each winner, below): – Richard Atkinson, partner at Tuckers Solicitors,… continue reading
Finalists announced for the 2020 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards
The criminal defence solicitor who led the way on county lines and modern slavery cases; plus the barrister behind the Supreme Court ruling in Samuels, are among 34 individuals and organisations shortlisted for this year’s LALY awards. Finalists of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group 2020 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards range from a… continue reading
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards – what is the impact of COVID-19?
We’ve released a statement setting out our contingency plans for LALY20 in the face of the current COVID-19 crisis. We think the LALYs will be more important this year than ever before. Legal aid firms and organisations are doing some incredible work under the most trying of circumstances and they deserve to be recognised and… continue reading
COVID-19 – Issues facing legal aid providers and the action we need from the LAA
This is a crisis – not a looming crisis – a current crisis for legal aid COVID-19 is having a profound impact on society and legal aid providers are part of the fabric of the support network that is required to ensure we can get through this crisis. Legal aid providers are not (yet) considered… continue reading
LALY awards 2020 launched!
The 2020 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards have opened for nominations! We are now accepting nominations for this year’s LALY awards. Read the official press release here, which provides details of the three new award categories. This year’s award ceremony takes place in central London on 7 July 2020. Ticket for the ceremony… continue reading
Is there a ‘culture of refusal’ within the LAA? We need your views
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 broader… continue reading
Winners announced for the 2019 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards!
The winners of the 2019 LALY awards we announced at a ceremony in central London last night. Read our official press release here for all the details.
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards – Finalists Announced!
The shortlist for this year’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards has been announced. As always, the finalists are an incredible group of legal aid lawyers and organisations, showcasing the life-changing work of those working in publicly-funded legal advice. For more information and a full list of finalists read the our press release here…. continue reading
It’s LALY time! Nominations now open for the 2019 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards
Nominations for the 17th Legal Aid Practitioners Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards are now open. Nomination period ends 30 April; winners to be announced at awards at ceremony on 10 July in central London. Download the full press release here Download the Flyer here The 2019 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year… continue reading
MOJ Publishes the LASPO Post-Implementation Review – Does It Go Far Enough?
Press Release Ministry of Justice’s Post-Implementation Review of Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) The report is an overdue recognition of the crisis in access to justice, triggered by LASPO. Many of the recommendations for the future are positive, but much more is needed to remedy the… continue reading
LAPG Appoints A New Leadership Team
With Director Carol Storer OBE stepping down on 20 November 2018, LAPG’s Committee has appointed a new leadership team to steer LAPG into the future. Chris Minnoch steps up to the role of CEO, with Kate Pasfield joining from Swain & Co. to take on the role of Director of Strategy. Read the full press… continue reading
Duncan Lewis wins access to justice challenge against LAA and Lord Chancellor
Duncan Lewis Solicitors have successfully challenged the Legal Aid Agency’s refusal to backdate legal aid certificates, even where solicitors have made a legal aid application as promptly as possible and it is necessary to begin work in order to secure access to justice for a client before the Legal Aid Agency has granted a certificate…. continue reading
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards – Finalists Announced!
The shortlist for this year’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards has been announced. As always, the finalists are an incredible group of legal aid lawyers and organisations, showcasing the life-changing work of those working in publicly-funded legal advice. Read the full press release here.
LALY awards 2018 has been launched!
We are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for the 2018 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards. 12 categories feature this year, and for the first time we are recognising the vital contribution made by practice managers. Read the full press release here. The press release contains full details of the award… continue reading
It’s a great time to join or renew LAPG membership
With our new membership year commencing on the 1st of January 2018 now is the perfect time to renew your membership or join for the first time. Our members benefit from our advice, support, training, events and regular updates. But we also play a leading role in campaigning for a fairer and more accessible legal aid system. We… continue reading
LAPG Pop-Up Courses – Prepare for the 2018 Civil Tender Process – Book Now
The LAA has now announced their plans for the tender process for 2018 Civil Legal Aid contracts. We will be running courses designed to help you to understand: The tender process for bidding for a 2018 Civil Contract The changes that will be introduced by the 2018 Civil Contract This is essential content for anyone… continue reading
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards Winners Announced!
The winners across 12 categories were named at a ceremony in central London on 5 July 2017. Read the full official press release here.
LAPG writes to the new Lord Chancellor
LAPG Co-Chairs, Jenny Beck and Nicola Mackintosh, QC (Hon) and LAPG Director, Carol Storer OBE, have written to the Right Hon David Lidington following his appointment as Lord Chancellor. 13 June 2017 Dear The Right Hon David Lidington MP, We congratulate you on being appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. We would welcome the… continue reading
LALY Awards 2017 – Shortlist Announced!!!
We are delighted to announce the finalists for the 2017 LALY awards. We received many exceptional nominations and the finalists are of the highest calibre. Full details of all the finalists are contained with the official press release here. This year’s ceremony will take place at etc.venues in central London on 5th of July. To purchase tickets… continue reading