The Legal Services Commission (LSC) this week backed down over its April deadline for lawyers to achieve accreditation for immigration work - but still faces a third threat of judicial review by a solicitor.

The deadline for accreditation has been extended to 1 August for solicitors who have already begun the accreditation process, allowing those who have failed one more chance to pass the exams.


Alison Stanley, chairwoman of the Law Society's immigration law committee, said the decision was 'eminently sensible'. But she added: 'Our committee would have liked to see an extension to the end of September. That would have given solicitors a full year - and four rounds of exams - to get accredited, which would seem fairer.


'But we are pleased there has been an extension, as otherwise firms would have had difficulty in carrying out their duties to clients. It would also have been intolerable for many firms that are already on the brink to have had to pay staff who were not able to do the work.'


The LSC said the extension would ensure there were enough accredited advisers to guarantee access to services.


Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva added: 'The Society is delighted that the LSC has agreed to our request for more time. The extension until August balances the need to ensure quality advice for this vulnerable group of clients with a timetable that allows practitioners to become accredited.'


Meanwhile, Surrey solicitor Muzaffar Mansoor has this week sent the LSC a letter before action indicating his intention to bring a judicial review over the accreditation scheme, which he claims discriminates against ethnic minority lawyers. Mr Mansoor said he had had to leave the field after failing his exams last December.


Judicial review actions have also been threatened against the LSC by Ben Hoare, partner at Ben Hoare Bell in Sunderland, and Tiki Emezie, partner at C T Emezie in London (see [2005] Gazette, 3 march, 3).


An LSC spokesman said it intends to analyse the equal opportunities data available on exam candidates.