Legal Industry Hits Out at Proposed Legal Aid Cuts

Thu, 29 Oct 2009

The legal industry has hit out at plans to cut the revenue available from legal aid . It was revealed last week that the Court Service intends to reduce the cost of legal aid in Northern Ireland significantly. It is estimated that the changes would cut the legal costs earned by solicitors and barristers by as much as 57 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Legal aid provides solicitors for those who can’t afford to pay high legal costs, though it is claimed the fees paid for legal aid are much higher than in England and Wales.

The Bar Council, which represents barristers, and the Law Society, which represents solicitors, have criticised the plans, claiming that it would deny the public high quality legal representation. The organisations have until December 5th to respond to the Court Service consultation paper which sets out the proposals.

Donald Eakin of the Law Society commented that comparisons between Northern Ireland and England and Wales are unfair. Mr Eakin pointed out that in Northern Ireland, cases begin in a magistrates court, whereas they can go straight to the Crown court in England and Wales .
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