Desperate times = Desperate measures (Legal Aid Cuts)

Oliver Gardner of Howards Solicitors and CLSA Committee Member reports on the latest developments in criminal legal aid.

On the 1st July 2015 the majority of solicitors undertaking publicly funded criminal defence work decided to stop accepting new instructions (Protocol 1) in protest at the Government’s decision to again reduce the rates payable. I could not then predict what would happen but what I can do is try to analyse where we are now and how we have arrived here….

I think it important to stress also that the purpose behind the action was to demonstrate to the MOJ that a degree of unity pervaded the profession and that accordingly they could not ignore our collective position any longer.

This article appears on the front cover of the Messenger North Law, published by the Manchester Law Society, Read the full article here.

Howards Solicitors have offices in Manchester & Macclesfield and specialise in Criminal Defence, Road Traffic / Motoring Offenses & Personal Injury Law.

Details about the author:
Oliver Gardner is a criminal Solicitor and Director at Howards Solicitors with offices in Manchester and South Cheshire. Oliver is a committee member of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association and is trained in psychotherapy to level 3.

Contact details:
Manchester Office, Suite 2 East Wing Westpoint, 501 Chester Road, Manchester, M16 9HU
Tel: +44 161 872 9999
Email: law@howardssolicitors.co.uk
Website: www.howardssolicitors.co.uk