On 17th January around 400 solicitors voted unanimously to back a motion rejecting the Government’s controversial Legal Aid reforms.

The Government’s reforms include Solicitors bidding for contracts and being paid a fixed fee for Legal Aid work, no matter how complex. Many are warning that consequentially firms will leave Legal Aid work because the rates of pay are not enough to pay for the costs of providing this invaluable service.

These changes will be particularly felt in rural areas, such as East Anglia, where a serious lack of legal aid lawyers could force vulnerable people to travel as far as Norwich, Cambridge or Peterborough to get help with urgent issues such as domestic abuse or children being taken into care.

Some solicitors providing advice and representation on criminal matters have already taken strike action and more unrest is anticipated across the UK in the coming months. Cuts in the Court service budget have already lead to a work to rule by Court staff and days of action.

There is real worry with all connected with the court system that lack of proper funding over many years coupled with the current proposals will severely restrict access to proper advice, representation in court and undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal and civil courts.

Steve Welcomme, head of the Family Department, has been campaigning with professional colleagues at other local firms on this issue for many months and travelled to London to cast his vote.

Steve said of the reforms “What concerns me is that the most vulnerable people in society are going to find it difficult to get proper legal representation. The reforms have totally ignored the problems of rural areas like this. Many people will be deprived of the opportunity of putting their case in court or will have to do it unaided.”

For more information please contact Steve Welcomme .