The bar has urged government to reconsider its legal aid reforms to protect the most vulnerable and ensure access to justice.


Launching a discussion paper this week, Tim Dutton QC, chairman of the Bar Council, warned: 'We may be about to face the irreversible consequences of the erosion of legal aid.'



The paper proposes government establishes a conditional legal aid fund for people unable to pay, which would be fully or partially repaid if the case succeeds.



Justice minister Lord Hunt welcomed the paper, but stressed that government reforms were about 'ensuring the long-term sustainability and future of legal aid'.



Julia Beer, chairwoman of the Young Barristers Committee, said low fees would deter future ?barristers from taking on publicly funded work.



Catherine Baksi