The Court of Appeal will next week hold an expedited hearing in the judicial review proceedings over the unified civil legal aid contract.


The High Court ruled in July this year that the Legal Services Commission (LSC) was in breach of procurement legislation because the contract did not comply with requirements relating to amendments to the technical specifications, such as peer review processes and key performance indicators. Mr Justice Beatson awarded Chancery Lane, which launched the proceedings in February, 75% of its costs.



However, the judge rejected the Society's argument that the LSC had also breached a general and broader obligation of transparency.



Next week's two-day hearing - to be chaired by the Lord Chief Justice - will see the Law Society and the LSC appeal against the parts of the judgment they lost. Chancery Lane is also seeking greater clarity on what the ruling means in practice.



Law Society President Andrew Holroyd said: 'The Law Society is pleased that this matter is being heard quickly as legal aid practitioners need to know where they stand.'



The LSC also welcomed the hearing, which was expedited at the request of both sides.

l The reintroduction of means testing in magistrates' courts was on time and on budget, a post-implementation review carried out by the Ministry of Justice, the LSC and the Courts Service has claimed. It said means testing 'remains on course to deliver its projected annual savings of £35 million'.



The review also recommended the extension of 'passporting' provisions for youths, so that all defendants appearing before youth courts and all under 18-year-olds appearing before the magistrates' court are exempt from the means test.



Philip Hoult