A question of choiceA year ago if someone needed legal help they had a choice - either they contacted their local solicitor or they sought help from the Citizen's Advice Bureau.
They did not need Esther Rantzen pointing them in the direction of the local supermarket, library or Internet cafe.
Local solicitors and local CAB worked hand-in-hand.
Need help now? The options remain the same in our locality except the client no longer has the choice of which solicitor to consult.R Hamilton, director of policy and legal at London's Legal Services Commission, wrote in the Gazette that family lawyers under the help at court scheme might help a respondent to an injunction application 'who would benefit from mitigation' (see [2000] Gazette, 20 April, 16).
The day before at a training session held at the council offices in Bristol Area 4 of the Community Legal Service solicitors were asked - could we now assist such people? The answer? A categoric and resounding no.Recently, guidance was sought from our local CLS about the apparent abolition of the Solicitor's charge in the Access to Justice Act.
Should we have been collecting legal help fees when recovery/preservation occurred since 1 April (30 odd days ago) or is this now the duty of the CLS? Any answer forthcoming? Not yet.
Obviously there's been some excellent training in place before implementation.
Lovely logo though - how much did it cost?Beverley Rockliff, Porter Dodson Solicitors, Yeovil
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