Enhanced accreditation for panel after missed pay riseFAMILY LAW: second tier introduced to win extra 15%A second tier of accreditation for members of the Law Societys family panel is to be introduced in response to lawyers on the panel missing...A second tier of accreditation for members of the Law Societys family panel is to be introduced in response to lawyers on the panel missing out on an additional 15% pay increase earlier this year.At the time, the Lord Chancellors Department stated that additional rises in pay had been achieved for family and other social welfare work.The decision to introduce a second tier of accreditation follows the announcement by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, in January that only members of the 330-strong Solicitors Family Law Association panel, and the 2,076-strong Law Societys childrens panel, would benefit from an additional 15% pay increase above the basic 10% awarded generally (see [2001] Gazette, 18 January, 1).

Peter Watson-Lee, chairman of the Law Societys family panel, said he was in favour of a second tier of accreditation because the extra income could make the difference between publicly-funded work being viable for firms or not.

Meanwhile, the Society announced that representation rates in mental health review tribunals, immigration adjudications and immigration appeal tribunals will go up by five percent.

Help rates for welfare benefits work, and all other categories of work not already receiving 10% pay increases, would go up by 5% including work done under tolerances where non-contracted work can be undertaken.Rates for work in connection with family mediation are to rise by 10%, in keeping with other family work.

In line with concessions negotiated by criminal practitioners, supervisors will also be paid for file reviews for the first time.

Mileage rates are also to rise from 36 pence to 45 pence per mile.

See Feature, page 32Sue Allen