One of the leading legal aid providers in England and Wales has welcomed the news that plans to reform legal aid have been deferred for six months.
Ken Clarke, the Secretary of State for Justice, has postponed both the implementation of legal aid reforms and price-competitive tendering for crime work. The planned reforms, which are part of the Legal Aid and Sentencing Bill, which would restrict the availability of legal aid and limit access to justice for hundreds of thousands of people.
Ann Harrison, chairwoman of North West law firm, Stephensons Solicitors LLP, says the move is a step in the right direction: “We are so pleased the reforms have been delayed. There has been great opposition to the proposals to limit the scope of legal aid and thousands of helpless people would lose their voice. While we recognise this is merely a delay, perhaps it will give the government more time to consider the significant outcry to these proposals and the detrimental impact they would have on some of the most vulnerable parts of our community.
“If funding is cut, the only options open to people are to pay for a solicitor or to deal with the problem without the benefit of specialist legal advice. Our concern is that people who cannot afford good legal representation would be unable to enforce and defend their legal rights.”
As the largest provider of legal aid in the North West (and in the top three in England and Wales), Stephensons has acted in almost 10,000 legal aid cases in the last 12 months, placing the firm in a prime position to comment on how the cuts could affect members of the community.
Stephensons has provided legal advice, funded by legal aid for almost 35 years.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Stephensons is one of the region’s largest law firms and has seven offices across Wigan, Leigh, Bolton, Manchester and St Helens. The award-winning firm has 30 Partners and more than 350 staff and offers legal services to businesses and individuals.
Media information: Lianne Tracey
Stephensons Solicitors LLP
T: 01616 966 229
E: lianne.tracey@stephensons.co.uk