For immediate release: 27 November 2003
ON THE RIGHT TRACK? LAG/ASA conference to debate the future direction of the Community Legal Service
At a time when legal aid is facing a crisis of unknown dimensions, the Legal Action Group (LAG) has joined forces with the Advice Services Alliance (ASA) to hold a timely conference at the cutting edge of the debate on publicly funded legal services.
The conference, entitled On the right track? Debating the future of the CLS, is taking place on Thursday 4 December, 10.00 am to 4.45 pm, at RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD.
Speakers at the morning session of the conference include: the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC; and Clare Dodgson, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission.
Alison Hannah, LAG’s director, commented:
‘This conference offers a great opportunity for all stakeholders to take part in an important debate on the future of the CLS. Policy makers will be able to put their case and hear the views of practitioners from around the country on whether these policies are working in practice. We see the conference as a forum for identifying the real issues – and finding ways to resolve the problems that beset the present system.’
Richard Jenner, director of ASA, commented:
‘A number of problems are emerging with the CLS. There is growing evidence that ordinary people are finding it more difficult to get the legal help that they need. At the same time, advice agencies and law firms report that they have problems recruiting and retaining qualified staff. There is dissatisfaction that the LSC Quality Mark does not measure the real quality of advice, and questions about the cost-effectiveness of CLS Partnerships need to be answered. The conference will provide an opportunity to address all of these issues, and more.’
Notes for editors:
- Legal Action Group (LAG) is a national charity that campaigns for improved access to justice and has a particular interest in social welfare and criminal law and the administration of legal aid and the courts.
The Advice Services Alliance (ASA) is the umbrella organisation for independent advice services in the UK. Its full members include Advice UK, Age Concern England, Citizens Advice, DIAL UK (the disability information and advice line), Law Centres Federation, Shelter and Youth Access. ASA can be contacted at 12th Floor, New London Bridge House, 25 London Bridge House, London SE1 9ST. E-mail: Info@asauk.org.uk; website: http://www.asauk.org.uk/
The Community Legal Service (CLS), which is run by the Legal Services Commission, has replaced the old scheme of civil legal aid and brings together networks of funders and suppliers into partnerships to provide access to information and advice. Since it was set up in April 2000, the CLS has faced a number of difficulties:
- A decline in numbers of practitioners undertaking publicly funded work in family and social welfare law, and problems of recruitment for this work.
- Evidence of ‘advice deserts’ – areas where it is difficult or impossible for people to find a legal aid solicitor or an adviser who can take on their case.
- Doubts about the effectiveness of CLS partnerships as a means of assessing local need and planning services.
- Dissatisfaction with the Quality Mark, the CLS quality assurance system.
- Pressures on the legal aid budget from criminal defence work and from escalating costs for asylum and immigration work.
More information about these concerns can be obtained from LAG or ASA (contact details above).
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