Further to my post yesterday, I notice that Resolution and the Law Society have adopted different positions with regard to the legal aid bid round tender process. The Law Society has called for the implementation of the family legal aid tender round to be suspended. However, in an e-newsletter to its members yesterday Resolution stated that they cannot support such a stance, taking the view "that further delay and uncertainty around the civil bid round would have a far greater destabilising effect than the present situation".I am far too far removed from this to comment in detail, but wouldn't it have been better to present a united front?
The reality is that a few firms have done very nicely out of this process,and are probably quietly pleased at having the LSC see off a lot of competition for them.The initial response from Resolution was in similar vein,so this does not surprise me.
ReplyDeleteThere is now a serious conflict of interests between those who are breathing a sigh of of relief,or even chortling evilly,and those now in desperate straits.
We are in the position of having survived the process,but with reduced matter starts,despite the evidence that last year clients expressed a choice to see us in greater numbers than will now be permitted.
The major flaw was in allowing firms to bid massively in excess of their historical take-up of new matters.
Interesting. Many thanks for that.
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