LSC widens student grant plan

The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has responded to solicitors' concerns about its plan to fund law students who are going to work at legal aid firms by widening the net of practices which can apply.

Under plans unveiled in June, only firms which derive 70% of their income from legal aid work were eligible for the 100 legal practice course grants available for students who will then join as trainees.

Following consultation, the figure has been reduced to 50%.

Some respondents, including the Law Society and Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG), expressed concern that the 70% mark would exclude many organisations which could provide high-quality training.

All firms with funded students are then eligible for a training contract grant - covering 75% of the Law Society minimum salary - when they begin their employment.

In an effort to kickstart the scheme, the LSC is providing an additional 100 training contract grants in the first year, and there is no specific qualifying level to apply for these.

Despite some consultees urging greater focus on London, the grants will continue to be targeted at the smaller urban and rural areas.

There has also been movement on the proviso that trainees funded this way remain with their firm for two years after qualification.

The Law Society argued that trainees should not be bound to work for the organisation that has supported them, questioned the enforceability of the proposal, and suggested it may have a disproportionate effect on women.

As a result, the LSC has amended this requirement to allow it to 'consider any reasonable request to vary' or break this part of the agreement.

A Law Society spokeswoman said: 'We are pleased the LSC has listened to some of the concerns we raised.

The scheme is a welcome initiative but does not address the more fundamental problems faced by solicitors currently involved in legal aid work, many of whom are being forced to give it up because of the very low levels of fees.'

LAPG director Richard Miller said the LSC's response was 'very encouraging' and the changes had improved the scheme.

The shift on the two-year requirement introduced flexibility without allowing trainees just to walk away, he said.

- The closing date to apply for grants is 30 September.

Firms should contact their local LSC office for an application pack.

Neil Rose