Criminal law specialist firms based in London could find themselves competing for legal aid contracts in less than a year, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has revealed.

In a letter to the Law Society and practitioners' groups, the LSC said a consultation paper was 'well advanced' and was likely to come out next month. It hopes to produce a timetable shortly, but now anticipates that 'the earliest date when competitive tendering could be implemented in London is September 2005'.


The LSC has indicated that it anticipates slashing the number of crime firms in large cities by half.


Collins: construction process

LSC policy and planning executive director Richard Collins wrote: 'We are aware of the profession's concerns about the potential impact of these proposals and we feel that it is important that we work closely with you so that the consultation process is managed in an open and constructive way.'

Rodney Warren, director of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association (CLSA), said he was pleased that the LSC had released more information to anxious practitioners, as the CLSA had been pushing for a timetable for the changes since the plans were originally announced last year.


But he added: 'We are concerned that the date for starting this seems to have emerged so far ahead of any consultation. The LSC must undertake full and objective consultation; it has an obligation to establish a proper and effective case for competitive tendering.'


Mr Warren also said any national scheme should be tested through a pilot in one restricted area.