Lawyers Sign Petition Against Legal Aid Reforms

Tue, 14 Jul 2009

Nearly 2,500 lawyers have signed a petition protesting against minister’s proposals to hold reverse auctions to award legal aid contracts . The scheme, which would see contracts awarded to the lowest bidders, would cause ‘irreparable damage’ to the quality of the legal and justice system, according to the lawyers. The system would apply to legal aid contracts for people at police stations, with auctions carried out either via sealed bids or an online e-auction.

The solicitors opposition was outlined by Des Hudson, the chief executive of the Law Society. Mr Hudson estimates that the new system would result in 800 of the 2,100 legal firms who provide legal aid going out of business. Some firms may bid unsustainably low sums in order to win the contract, but could then go out of business before being able to fulfil the legal aid work.

The consultation period is set to close in two weeks, and follows a number of revelations concerning the lucrative sums earned by some law firms . Mr Hudson was speaking at a conference held to celebrate 60 years of the legal aid scheme, but warned that the Legal Services Commission’s proposals would ensure ‘the fix will be quick but the damage will be long-lasting’.
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