CLS lawyers in the line of fire

Solicitors appear to be in the unenviable position of being caught in the middle of this week's crossfire between the Consumers' Association and the Lord Chancellor's Department.The association - in typically dramatic fashion - has launched a broadside at Lord Irvine's reformed provision of state-funded legal services in civil cases.

Bluntly, the association says the six-week-old Community Legal Service (CLS) could be a washout, providing at best 'a second-rate service' to 'vulnerable people at risk'.

In other words, it will fail the people it is designed to help above all others.It would be tempting for legal aid lawyers to sit smugly, muttering 'we told you so' under their breath.

After all, one of the main complaints in the report is that clients now have to scratch around for specialist solicitors and advisers in crucial areas such as social security, housing, discrimination, employment and immigration.

In the run-up to implementation of the reforms, both the Law Society and the consumer groups were forecasting just that outcome.However, the Consumers' Association reserves some opprobrium for the solicitors' profession as well.

Community and law centres are hailed by its report as providing the best help and advice under the new system, while lawyers are criticised for not being committed to their cases and not showing their clients sufficient respect.Attacking CLS solicitors is a misguided and potentially damaging path for the Consumers' Association to follow.

The solicitors' profession remains committed to campaigning for consumers to have the best and widest access to justice as possible.

If there are problems with solicitor-provided advice then the association must realise that they are likely to be caused by the harsh conditions CLS solicitors are forced to work under.

The Lord Chancellor's position on legal aid pay rates indicates that if there is any lack of respect it is by Lord Irvine towards the solicitors' profession.It is only divisive for the Consumers' Association to take populist pot shots at lawyers.

It has a good case regarding the CLS.

It would be a stronger one if it kept the legal profession on board.