CCMS was originally due to be rolled out nationwide this month, despite widespread criticism from practitioners who insisted it was so flawed and inefficient, it would drive small firms into bankruptcy (Legal Action, June 2015). In the face of mounting concern from those working with the agency on developing CCMS, the LAA insisted it was pressing ahead with implementation. The Association of Costs Lawyers accused the agency of being in ‘institutional denial’ about CCMS; Resolution chair Jo Edwards (pictured) said it was a ‘national scandal’ that millions of pounds had been spent on such a flawed system; Legal Aid Practitioners Group director Carol Storer threatened to resign if the system went ahead without improvements.

It was only in June 2015, after an outcry by these and other groups, that the agency climbed down and agreed to put back the deadline to February.

Announcing the delay, the LAA said this was to allow firms more time to prepare and ‘for improvements to be embedded before mandation’. Extensive work was carried out on the system over the summer and the agency is now testing a new version on a group of suppliers.

However, LAG understands that glitches remain and the LAA is still trying to resolve them. Russell Conway, whose firm uses the previous version of CCMS, but who has seen the new one, said it looks ‘a great deal better than the old’, but believes that the LAA will struggle to introduce it by 1 February.

Storer said: ‘Things are looking a bit more hopeful regarding CCMS.’ But she urged the LAA to proceed with caution. ‘It’s important to get the program right rather than rushing to a self-imposed deadline.’