SRA’s Transparency Rules – Survey of Websites
A survey carried out by DG Legal covering the websites of over 400 firms in May 2020 has found that the majority of law firms have not understood the SRA’s Transparency Rules. There is a myth that the rules cover only prices. There are rules also cover use of the digital badge, complaints handling, and…
Update on LAA Financial Survey
The Law Society and LAPG have established that the LAA's survey exercise is voluntary. This was not clear from the LAA's emails. LAPG this morning have said: 'During yesterday’s call we asked the LAA directly whether it is compulsory for providers to respond. David Thomas, the LAA’s Head of Contract Management & Assurance, confirmed that…
LAA Financial Survey
The Legal Aid Agency have been sending out an email requesting answers to 19 questions about the financial position of its providers. This is likely to be in response to Government ministers asking questions about the strength of its supplier base. We have been told (although we cannot verify this) that the 19 questions were…
2019 Education and Discrimination Face to Face Contracts
The LAA has opened the tender for Education and Discrimination face to face service contracts. For those firms new to this area of legal aid, it is essential to be aware of the background to this tender. At present, anyone requiring legal aid services in these areas of law must use the telephone gateway service…
Managing a Legal Aid Contract FAQ
Following our recent webinar, we've published a FAQ at https://dglegal.co.uk/resources/
2018 Civil Tender
We have published a free walkthrough guide to the 2018 civil legal aid tender. It can be obtained from our downloads page at https://dglegal.co.uk/resources/downloads/
Summary of tender to deliver civil legal aid services
We have summarised the LAA's main Information for Applicants (IFA) document and have tried to simplify the requirements for those interested in bidding. Please click on the below link to download the document. 27.09.17 Briefing re Procurement of Civil Legal Aid Services from 1 September 2018
2018 Civil Contracts
The LAA have announced the 2018 civil contracts tender timetable. The key points are as follows: Face to face and CLA Timetable Mid-September - Tender window opens Mid-November - Tender window closes (8 week period) March 2018 - Outcome of face to face tenders announced May 2018 - Outcome of CLA tenders announced Sept. 2018…
LAA’s headline intentions for legal aid contracts from April 2018
The LAA has published today its intentions for the tendering processes for Civil legal aid contracts from April 2018. This is a summary of the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) headline document can be downloaded from the LAA’s website or by clicking the below link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/584854/headline-intentions.pdf Face to face services Categories of law Tenders will be…
Crime Tender 2017
Download Our Crime Tender 2017 PDFDownload CONTENTS. Part 1 The Tender Introduction Overview Tender Completion Completing the tender Manage my profile Organisation ITT Individual ITT Completing and Uploading the attachments the Supervisor Form the Indemnity Form the SQM or Lexcel certificate Submitting the Bid – Some Further Tips Part 2 The 2017 Crime Contract Annex…
2017 Crime Tender – LAA’s published FAQs
Key Areas We highlight below what we believe are amongst the more important clarifications arising from the LAA's FAQ document published on 24 August. Change of name or entity If you have changed your name or entity you should re-register your entity on the Bravo portal. Own and Duty work If you wish to deliver…
Crime Tender FAQs
We are making a list of the issues we have encountered with the crime tender. Below are the problems we have encountered so far. FAQ 1 The link to the personal indemnity forms in the Bravo portal is broken. The forms on the MOJ website make reference to previous contracts rather than the 2017…
Procurement of Criminal Legal Aid Services from 1 April 2017
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has just opened the tender for the 2017 criminal legal aid contracts. It has also published the 2017 draft contract and specification. You can download here our summary of the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) information for Applicants (IFA) document. This summarises the IFA but also includes some observations from the…
New Crime Contracts
The LAA has announced today some important news in relation to crime contracts. Existing Standard Contract Holders The LAA are extending the current contracts until 31 March 2017. All contract holders must formally accept the LAA’s offer to extend the contract. The LAA will be sending out extension letters shortly. You must look out for…
Crime Contracts – What now?
LAA Crime Own Client and Duty Solicitors Contracts As you will doubtless be fully aware, the MoJ has finally released its statement on the future of crime contracting with both the Own Client Contracts and Duty Contracts being cancelled. Having reviewed the Minister's Statement and the LAA’s subsequent message sent to bidders on 28 January…
LAA requests verification for Crime Own Client Contracts
On 25 November 2015, the LAA started requesting verification for those offered an Own Client Crime Contract. There is an imminent deadline of 8 December 2015 to be aware of. Firstly, all those who bid for an ‘own client contract’ are being asked now to verify their tender. This applies equally to all bidders including…
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
ADVISORY NOTE –Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 On 13 June 2014, some the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (the Regulations) come into effect. The Regulations will affect contracts entered into by all solicitors’ practices which undertake distance selling arrangements and/or enter into contracts away from their offices such as at a client’s…
Transforming Legal Aid – Next Steps Changes for implementation in January 2014
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is implementing some further civil and crime legal aid changes in January 2014. For a summary of the changes, click on the link below: Summary of changes to come into effect in January 2014
Boot them out?
Should solicitors place a vote of no confidence against The Law Society chief executive Des Hudson & President Nicholas Fluck? The vote takes place on Tuesday 17th December. Not since the days of the Kamlesh Bahl affair has The Law Society (TLS) had to weather such a storm. If you can’t remember the Bahl case,…
Which criminal law firms will survive the 17.5% cut?
A controversial article written by David Gilmore which questions conventional wisdom about who will survive the 17.5% cuts has been published by Lawyer Monthly. David explains why small firms are in a better position than larger firms if they can quickly prepare for the reforms. The article can be read here: http://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2013/12/which-criminal-law-firms-will-survive-the-17-5-cut/
Legal Aid Agency’s intentions for tendering the remaining categories under the 2010 Standard Civil Contract
Set out below is a summary of the LAA’s intentions for the following areas: Actions Against the Police, Community Care, Clinical Negligence, Family Mediation, Mental Health, Public Law, Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme, Immigration Removal Centres. Community Care & Mental Health Tenders for these contracts for these categories will be the first to be opened.…
TRANSFORMING LEGAL AID – NEXT STEPS Changes for implementation in December 2013
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is planning to proceed with the implementation of some of the changes outlined in the Ministry of Justice’s ‘Transforming Legal Aid – Next Steps’ paper (albeit that the changes are still subject to parliamentary approval). For a summary of the changes which the LAA proposes to implement with effect from…
MoJ publishes second consultation on the reform of legal aid
The MoJ has published details of the Government's revised proposals for further reform of the criminal legal aid system in England and Wales. The MoJ has modified some of its proposals but will press ahead with some of the reforms in full as set out in its original proposal or in a slightly modified form.…
Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Accreditation Scheme
The Law Society has introduced a new quality accreditation scheme for professionals that that specialise in will writing, probate and estate administration work. The Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme, opening at the end of October 2013, provides a quality standard for this area. The Law Society states that membership of the scheme is based upon:…
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2013
LALYs 2013 DG Legal would like to offer our congratulations to all those short-listed for the awards and to the ultimate winners. The winners of this year's awards were: Outstanding achievement Raju Bhatt, Bhatt Murphy Criminal defence lawyer Margaret Gordon, Christian Khan/Imran Khan & Partners Legal aid firm Makin Dixon, Bradford Legal aid barrister Jane…
Unbundled Family Services
Unbundled Family Services Increasingly, in light of the changes brought into effect by LASPO and the fact that legal aid is no longer available for many family law matters where there is no history of domestic violence and abuse, firms are introducing some level of unbundled services as a more affordable alternative to the traditional retainer.…
