A meeting between the lord chancellor (pictured) and specialist criminal legal aid solicitors organised by the Law Society in order to provide practitioners with an opportunity to discuss their views face-to-face took place this afternoon.

A spokesperson for the Society said. ‘We arranged this meeting for criminal practitioners from a range of firm sizes, specialist practitioner groups and regions to meet face-to-face with the lord chancellor, following on from similar events during the first consultation period.

‘The meeting was conducted in a polite manner despite views being expressed passionately by all present.

‘It was valuable for Chris Grayling to hear directly the potential impact of his proposals, and for him to explain the budgetary constraints facing his department. He promised to consider all the representations which were put to him.’