Criminal Legal Aid Solicitors Describe Working Conditions as Degrading and Demoralising
Criminal legal aid solicitors are facing degrading and demoralising working conditions, with poor pay leading to a vicious cycle of practitioners leaving the field, the High Court heard yesterday.
The Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association and London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association are backing the Law Society’s legal challenge against the government over criminal legal aid fees. Adam Wagner, representing the associations, highlighted the dire situation faced by solicitors across the country.
One solicitor described working every day, including weekends and holidays, and being constantly on call. Another revealed getting only one hour of sleep while on duty, juggling court appearances and duty rota responsibilities.
Wagner emphasized the impact of low pay on recruitment and retention, noting that the Crown Prosecution Service offers significantly higher salaries, leading to an exodus of talent from criminal defense firms. The result is fewer solicitors available to cover duty rota shifts, forcing remaining practitioners to work longer hours and travel farther distances.
The court heard that some areas have lost multiple duty solicitors to the CPS, with one firm unable to fill a vacancy for three years. Minor increases in remuneration have done little to improve the situation, with one solicitor likening it to rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.
Wagner urged the court to intervene to prevent a disaster, referencing the Bellamy review as a potential solution to the ongoing crisis in criminal legal aid. The associations are calling for immediate action to address the unsustainable working conditions and remuneration faced by criminal legal aid solicitors.
The article is now closed for comment, but the fight for fair pay and working conditions for criminal legal aid solicitors continues in the courtroom.