Changes to Legal Aid - Good view on the situation!

[lawlessone2009]

http://www.grumpyoldsod.com/justice%20%288%29.asp

Bit of an eye opener eh?

[Rights Fighter]

Extract:
The government are planning to make big changes in the legal aid system in this country, but they're having a hard time of it. There is a tremendous and very articulate campaign of protest from lawyers who, presumably, see a gravy-train drying up on the hob.

Only 1 per cent of legally aided lawyers are 'fat cats'. Many 'thin cats' work hours and hours for free from home. For most lawyers legal aid is not a gravy train at all.

There are really bad sols and barristers who do very little on what little they are paid and it is a lucky client that gets representation that will do that bit extra.

If this Government (well #failinggrayling) has his way then when somebody is accused of a crime they did not commit, the representation they get will be from the person who has bid the lowest to take the case on. Do you think they will work extra hours in order to get the right result like many sols and barrister do now?

I very much doubt it.

[whatsgoingon?]

There are really bad sols and barristers who do very little on what little they are paid and it is a lucky client that gets representation that will do that bit extra.

If this Government (well #failinggrayling) has his way then when somebody is accused of a crime they did not commit, the representation they get will be from the person who has bid the lowest to take the case on. Do you think they will work extra hours in order to get the right result like many sols and barrister do now?

I very much doubt it.[/QUOTE]

My son had the misfortune and then the fortune to have both types of solicitors and barristers you describe and the difference was unbelievable. I thank my and his lucky stars that he got legal aid in the first place and that he ended up being represented by a highly competent team (Gerry MacDonald and Nerida Hartford-Bell). If they are fat cats, then great! They deserve to be because they showed up the case for the absurd nonsense it was.
If the government wants to save money on the legal system, they should start by ensuring that the CPS do the 'sorting' they're supposed to do and not just rely on trying to make police-thrown **** stick for the sake of statistics. I'm not sure how long a week long trial costs the country, have tried to calculate it and reckon it must be anything between £100,00 and £250,00.

[Rights Fighter]

Neither Gerry nor Nerida are fat cats. The ones you need to watch out for are those who claim to be expert in false allegations but are not sols or barristers and charge the earth for meeting the client first and then for putting them with sols and barristers. Some charge a fortune for doing private enquiry work that anybody with half a brain cell can do for free.

Gerry and Nerida are shining examples of how legally aided representation should work. If you ar eon Facebook please like this page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveUKJustice/

Some sols on there are looking for people who are happy with their legally aided representation.

[whatsgoingon?]

Gerry and Nerida are shining examples of how legally aided representation should work.

I agree 100 per cent. That is the point I wanted to put across in my not-always-so-good terms!