Despite outrage from many organisations, a great public outcry and a number of failed appeals, cuts to legal aid and the amount barristers and solicitors will receive for their services are going ahead, a move that many feel will affect only the most vulnerable people in society.
Whilst Britain has one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world, this system has been vital for those who would not otherwise have been able to afford legal representation, and in turn, our approach to offering legal aid has made sure we have one of the fairest legal systems in the world, offering equal opportunities for all, no matter what their circumstances.
Many fear this is going to change in the future as the Government looks to cut between £200m and £300m off the current annual legal aid bill which currently tops £2bn. Once these cuts are made, there is a high chance that huge numbers of people will no longer have access to the same level of legal representation and in turn that certain sections of the community will effectively be denied the opportunity for fair and experienced legal counsel.
FALSE ECONOMY
A number of opponents of the move (and there are many), suggest that the cuts will actually save very little money in the long run as courts will be faced with lengthy delays and increased costs as those without legal representation struggle to effectively represent themselves. In turn, with lengthier proceedings, greater amounts of administration and more confusing processes, there is a good chance that not only could costs rise, but that cases could overrun and that the entire legal landscape could become far less efficient at the same time as it becomes far less fair.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU?
The cuts are likely to affect huge numbers of people needing representation for a wide range of civil cases from those fighting criminal negligence charges and facing debt problems to those needing help with family law cases, employment tribunals and immigration issues. Even medical negligence plaintiffs may no longer be open to legal aid, and in turn, may have to look at other ways of claiming for serious medical issues that could affect their entire life.
What this will mean for many individuals is that representing oneself becomes the only option, or in other cases, no-win no-fee solicitors must be contacted to get any form of representation at all. Not only does this take a huge amount of choice out of the hands of whole sections of the community, but it may also mean that many take extremely important cases into their own hands when they are completely ill-equipped to do so.
In turn, as the laws change and aid is cut, it will be more important than ever to look at different firms of solicitors to see which will be best for your case and which could offer you the help you need in spite of these cuts. For instance, the best lawyers will offer options to their clients to choose between fixed fee and no-win no-fee cases to ensure that those who need help have access to it in spite of the cuts. Furthermore, for others, choosing the right solicitor will simply be important to ensure money is not wasted. If cases are undertaken on a fixed-fee basis and without access to legal aid, ensuring you have the best chance of winning will be even more important to ensure you are not simply throwing your money away on a lost cause.
