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Criminal legal aid tenders opened
The Legal Aid Agency published details of the tender arrangements for own client contracts for criminal work on 25 April 2014. The deadline for applications is noon on 23 May 2014, and the new crime contracts are due to begin on 1 July 2015.
Firms that want to continue providing criminal legal aid have to apply successfully for an own client contract. They will then be eligible to apply for a duty solicitor contract. The tender process for these is expected to open in July 2014.
Many firms fear that they will lose out in the tender for duty solicitor contracts as the number of such contracts in police stations will be reduced to 525 (ie, less than one-half of the current number). Criminal legal aid lawyers are continuing their protests against the government’s proposals and are planning to bring judicial review proceedings against the Ministry of Justice.