Law Society takes government to court on criminal legal aid decision

Article summary

The Law Society of England and Wales has applied to the High Court for permission to challenge the government’s decision not to increase criminal defence solicitors’ legal aid rates by the recommended minimum 15% as it is unlawful, irrational, and has affected access to justice. The Law Society President, Lubna Shuja, has said that the Law Society plans to challenge the government's failure to address the collapse of the criminal legal aid sector due to underfunding. Shuja has also added that duty solicitors, who are imperative to the justice system, have been affected by the lack of funding, with more than half of firms having left since 2007 and over 1,000 duty solicitors having left since 2017. Likewise, it has affected backlogged courts, access to justice and has caused delays in police stations.