I was very disappointed with your coverage of the Law Society's legal aid conference (see [2005] Gazette, 30 June, 4). It did not do justice to the important issues and comment raised at the conference.

There needs to be a raised awareness among the profession about the effects of competitive tendering and the constraints that lack of funding are bringing to the criminal and civil legal aid systems.


As a trainee, I am becoming increasingly disillusioned at the lack of concern about the future of legal aid. Every day I question my judgement in going into the field of legal aid simply because there appears to be no future.


With the proposed funding initiatives and financial shortages, there will be no legal aid lawyers in the future simply because it will not be financially viable for individuals to enter this area of the profession.


Unless there is heightened awareness of the difficulties facing the legal aid system, there will be no future.



Zahra Nanji, trainee solicitor, Powell Spencer & Partners, London