LSC given contract warning

Nearly 1,000 criminal practitioners met last week and sent a firm warning to the Legal Services Commission (LSC) that unless pay and terms improve they...Nearly 1,000 criminal practitioners met last week and sent a firm warning to the Legal Services Commission (LSC) that unless pay and terms improve they will not be signing criminal contracts scheduled to come into force next month.

At the end of an impassioned one-day meeting, all but eight of the solicitors The Law Society's criminal contracting advice telephone line is: 020 7320 9555.

Updated daily at 1.45pm

gathered from all over the country supported a motion not to sign the contract on the present proposals.This message was echoed by Law Society President Michael Napier who said: On the basis of your resolution this afternoon the message is loud and clear: not to sign.

That is your resolution, and we will represent you.

This week, Mr Napier said that after days of urgent and tense negotiations Continued from page 1 with the LSC, there were signs of possible movement.

Mr Napier said: We hope that within the next 24 hours, the situation will be clarified and it will be possible to give criminal practitioners clear guidance as to the proper stance the Law Society should take, He added that they were continuing to press the LSC over flexibility over the initial 8 March deadline for firms seeking to take advantage of the first monthly payment.At last weeks meeting, Law Society Vice-President David McIntosh, accused the LSC of being high handed and patronising in its treatment of criminal practitioners but said it was a real disappointment that a fair contract had not been achieved.

He added that advice had been received from accountants Deloitte & Touche, which suggested that the data used by the LSC to calculate the economic impact on firms of contracting was out of date.

Mr McIntosh added that a judicial review was also being considered.Particular areas of concern among practitioners were the timetable for the introduction of contracting, inadequate pay rates and increased administrative burdens on firms.

Solicitor and LSC member Anthony Edwards, the professional head of the Salaried Defender Service, whose firm has signed the contract, said that 94 firms had so far signed the contract.

After 2 April, the LSC would be drawing up duty solicitor rotas on the basis of those firms which had signed, he warned.Malcolm Fowler, chairman of the Law Societys criminal law committee, said concerns over the contract went beyond just the financial implications for firms.

This isnt about money, it is do with independence and our role as defenders and that is non-negotiable.

Sue Allen