Legal aid clients hit out at solicitors

By Sue Allen

Legally aided clients say they are poorly served by solicitors who show little interest in their cases, according to a report published by the Consumer Association this week.The report, which looked in depth at the experiences of 80 disadvantaged clients seeking legally aided advice ahead of the Community Legal Service (CLS) launch in April, found that by comparison to local and specialist community advice and law centres, solicitors 'fared badly'.Many respondents had concerns about solicitors' commitment.

The report found an 'overwhelming sense' that solicitors were not interested in their cases, which were often passed to junior staff.

'Generally, respondents seem to have been poorly served by solicitors and few wanted to repeat the experience,' the report found.Community advice and law centres were seen as providing the best legal advice.

Particular praise was given to legal advisers who actively worked on behalf of their clients, undertaking all aspects of the case and tailoring advice to the individual's needs.Citizens' Advice Bureaux also came in for criticism.

Many respondents saw the bureaux as 'information or transit points' but not as a source of actual help.The report urged the government to introduce spot checks on solicitors and other legal service providers.

This would ensure that the quality of advice received by clients under CLS funding was consistently good and not inferior to other consumers.Mick McAteer, the author of the report and the association's director of policy, said the research showed solicitors failed to treat disadvantaged people with respect and often failed to use appropriate language, an area where community law centres did well.The report stated that if the CLS was to reach its stated objective of achieving access to justice, it would take a 'huge commitment' and 'substantial resources' from the government.

The best solutions in overcoming barriers to accessing legal advice were resource intensive and the use of remote-access solutions, such as the use of IT, would have only limited impact, the report concluded.Law Society President Robert Sayer said: 'Due to good business sense, which the government is so keen to promote, legal aid work will often be given to junior solicitors.

However, this does not mean that the advice given will be in anyway inferior.'Lord Chancellor's Department minister David Lock said: 'The government accepts the thrust of the report...

this work shows the state of advice services prior to the CLS and how clients felt about the services they received.

It explains why the CLS is needed and justifies our decision to press ahead with radical reforms.See Leader, page 16