As we have previously reported, the LSC's processing times have slipped further and further behind their targets. One consequence is that, when practitioners use devolved powers to grant emergency certificates, the LSC has taken several weeks to consider the application for the full certificate. As emergency certificates only last four weeks, this has resulted, in many cases, in their expiry before the issue of the full certificate. As a result, solicitors have not known whether they have funding to continue work - and crucially, clients are potentially without costs protection in the gap if the full certificate is not backdated. The LSC have therefore announced that any emergency certificate granted on or after 1st May 2011 will now last eight weeks not four. You should, however, continue to keep an eye on the processing times on the LSC website. Where the LSC does not keep to its published performance targets, the complaints procedure can be found here.