The latest published review of criminal defence firms has been released, and it provides for depressing reading
No publicly funded service has had to endure the cuts inflicted from successive governments provided by the Conservative and Labour parties. Since 1999, legal aid for criminal cases has been slashed by an enormous 50%. The crisis within the Criminal Justice System that we see today is a direct consequence of those cuts.
It is reported that 1080 solicitors firms in England and Wales have been provided with a legal aid contract. Our of those 1080 firms, 434 are reported to be in danger of closing due to not being able to stay in business due to the low fees available on legal aid rates. In 2023, 9 out of 10 of those firms rated as in ‘Danger’ closed down. It is further reported that 42 of the larger national criminal legal aid firms, are in such a vulnerable position, that they may be forced to consider merging with another firm in order that they be able to keep trading
Unless there is a complete change from the incoming government, things are only going to get worse for criminal legal aid practitioners, The consequences to the public are dire.
