*/
A cross-party group of MPs has condemned the Legal Services Commission (“LSC”) proposals to cut legal aid funds for family law cases as “flawed, weak and inflexible”.
The LSC is proposing a new fixed fee scheme for advocacy work in private law and care proceedings. Legal aid minister, Lord Bach, has said the LSC’s response to the consultation will be announced before Parliament rises on 21 July.
A report by the Justice Select Committee, however, published on 15 July, has concluded the reforms were based on “incomplete data, [and] a superficial understanding of the supply of legal services in this area”. It criticised the LSC’s “conclusions first, evidence after” approach to policy-making, having commissioned Ernst and Young to gather data after it had proposed cuts to the system.
Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar, said: “This is a simply devastating condemnation of the LSC’s hapless efforts at reform.
“It shows that it is not practitioners who have pushed up the cost of legal aid. The Committee has confirmed our warning that there is a serious risk of an exodus of experienced practitioners from publicly-funded family law practice.”
Lucy Theis QC, chair of the Family Law Bar Association, said: “Surely now the LSC will wake up to reality: its plans for family legal aid are unwelcome, unworkable and unwanted. “On reading this report, Justice Ministers will realise that the LSC has failed a basic test of competence when it comes to delivering reform.”
A spokesperson for the LSC commented: “We are grateful to the Committee for this report and note its recommendations and conclusions ... we received a large number of helpful responses to the consultation and as we have already indicated, our final proposals will reflect many of the concerns raised by respondents. Since the consultation closed, the LSC has been working closely with stakeholders including the Bar, Family Law Bar Association, Association of Lawyers for Children and the Law Society on proposals for the shape of the final scheme.
The LSC is proposing a new fixed fee scheme for advocacy work in private law and care proceedings. Legal aid minister, Lord Bach, has said the LSC’s response to the consultation will be announced before Parliament rises on 21 July.
A report by the Justice Select Committee, however, published on 15 July, has concluded the reforms were based on “incomplete data, [and] a superficial understanding of the supply of legal services in this area”. It criticised the LSC’s “conclusions first, evidence after” approach to policy-making, having commissioned Ernst and Young to gather data after it had proposed cuts to the system.
Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar, said: “This is a simply devastating condemnation of the LSC’s hapless efforts at reform.
“It shows that it is not practitioners who have pushed up the cost of legal aid. The Committee has confirmed our warning that there is a serious risk of an exodus of experienced practitioners from publicly-funded family law practice.”
Lucy Theis QC, chair of the Family Law Bar Association, said: “Surely now the LSC will wake up to reality: its plans for family legal aid are unwelcome, unworkable and unwanted. “On reading this report, Justice Ministers will realise that the LSC has failed a basic test of competence when it comes to delivering reform.”
A spokesperson for the LSC commented: “We are grateful to the Committee for this report and note its recommendations and conclusions ... we received a large number of helpful responses to the consultation and as we have already indicated, our final proposals will reflect many of the concerns raised by respondents. Since the consultation closed, the LSC has been working closely with stakeholders including the Bar, Family Law Bar Association, Association of Lawyers for Children and the Law Society on proposals for the shape of the final scheme.
A cross-party group of MPs has condemned the Legal Services Commission (“LSC”) proposals to cut legal aid funds for family law cases as “flawed, weak and inflexible”.
Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
A career shaped by advocacy beyond her practice, and the realities of living with an invisible disability – Dr Natasha Shotunde, Black Barristers’ Network Co-Founder and its Chair for seven years, reflects on a decade at the Bar
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines
There is no typical day in the life as a Supreme Court judicial assistant, says Josephine Gillingwater, and that’s what makes the role so enjoyably diverse
