Getting back to things legal, a woman telephoned my firm's office this morning saying that she needed to instruct a solicitor urgently, but that she required legal aid. My firm does not offer a legal aid service anymore, but she had rung several firms that do, only to be offered an appointment in two months' time. This is a scenario that must be re-enacted regularly across the country, and will only become more frequent as more firms decide it is uneconomic to work for legal aid rates of pay. I'm sure the media will blame 'fat-cat' lawyers for refusing to do legal aid work, but the reality of course for many legal aid firms is a stark choice between giving up or going under.What price justice? A price that the government clearly doesn't feel it is worth paying.
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