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Lawyers take legal action over aid dispute
BLACK and Asian lawyers are suing the government over legal aid reforms.
The Society of Asian lawyers and the Black Solicitors Network, who together represent the black, minority ethnic (BME) legal profession and are based in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, have commenced Judicial Review proceedings.
The changes include paying legal aid lawyers on a case-by-case basis, rather than an hourly rate.
Long and complicated immigration, housing and welfare cases will not be taken on, the lawyers claim, denying access to justice for many minority communities.
The BME lawyers believe the Department of Constitutional Affairs and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has failed to carry out an assessment into the impact on ethnic minorities in “any meaningful way” and are claiming a breach of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
Sailesh Mehta, the chair of the Society of Asian Lawyers, based in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, said: “When minority communities feel that their access to justice is being curtailed, this can only have negative consequences for race relations.
“We can see no economic or other justification for these disastrous Government proposals.”
Ruth Wayte, legal director at the LSC, said: “We have made and will continue to make every effort to ensure we speak to this group about their concerns. We are disappointed that the Black Solicitors Network is determined to litigate.” |
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