Greater Manchester Solicitors Act in Opposition to Government Cuts to Legal Aid

Morning of Action-06/01/2014

This e- mail is from the Manchester Steering Group to confirm the agreed course of action on the 6th January 2014.

Criminal lawyers are invited NOT to attend the crown court and magistrates court until 2pm on the 6th January 2014. Meetings and training sessions are being arranged that morning.

Criminal Praticitioner groups,including the CLSA and the LCCSA,are confirming their support for for the morning of action.We invite everybody to join in.

In the Crown court please support the bar and please confirm you/ the firms HCA’s will not attend the Crown Court that morning.If you have a in house HCA Crown court case you may wish to apply for an adjournment until 2-15pm.

In the Magistrates and Police station please confirm you support action limiting the attendance of criminal lawyers to ONLY police station (own/ duty) and Court duty/ custody cases in the Magistrates court. If we work together we can arrange with individuals who are/ or volunteer to be Court Duty on the 06/01/14 to protect our own clients.Apart from custody cases please confirm that you/ your firm will not attend any other hearings. You may wish to apply for adjournment in advance.

We hope to arrange training on the 06/01/14 and will advise in due course.

1-For a proposed protocol on the action on the 06/01/14 and template for adjournments please see:
www.clsa.co.uk/index.php?q=332

2- Please also see the announcement by the CLSA to reduce the annual membership fee to £10 from the usual £100.The CLSA are actively involved in opposing the cuts and organising action.Joining the CLSA could be money well spent in the action ahead. Please see:
www.clsa.co.uk/index.php?q=CLSA-Membership-Offer

Please confirm your support for the 06/01/14 morning of action.