Lawyers meet to discuss legal aid reforms
22 Aug 08
Law Society 'puzzled' by Glasgow Bar Association's call for special meeting
Solicitors should remain at the heart of the process to monitor the effect of the reforms to summary justice and recent changes to the legal aid payment structure, according to the Law Society of Scotland.
The debate at a Special General Meeting (SGM) at the Society’s Edinburgh headquarters today (Friday, 22 August) will consider the impact of the reforms introduced earlier this year. The Law Society has expressed surprise that the Glasgow Bar Association had called for such a meeting.
Oliver Adair, the convener of the Society’s legal aid solicitors committee, will stress to delegates the value of remaining part of a process for reviewing the reforms with the Cabinet Secretary at the end of the year.
He said: “The Society shares the concerns of many of our members about the reforms to legal aid, particularly the overall drop in the budget.
“However, we have already held positive negotiations with the Scottish Government and won a number of important concessions on behalf of the solicitors’ profession. We believe those reforms are the best deal currently attainable in extremely difficult circumstances.
“We are committed to continuing discussions with the government and Scottish Legal Aid Board to ensure the reforms are reviewed and any anomalies are rectified. That way, the system of criminal legal aid will be improved for solicitors and their clients.”
Mr Adair added that it was puzzling why the Glasgow Bar Association (GBA) had called the SGM at this time.
He said: “The Society has set up a monitoring and evaluation group to take soundings from the profession so it is puzzling why they have called this meeting.
“The profession’s representatives in the review process are all legal aid practitioners themselves and are well aware of the concerns with some aspects of the reforms. We would urge colleagues to continue to provide us with valuable feedback, particularly examples of where the reforms are not working. We will then put those concerns to Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice.”
A motion supporting the Society’s representatives on the monitoring and evaluation group will be put to the SGM.