Means Testing: Sunderland solicitors vote to boycott magistrates' court for two days

Solicitors have successfully petitioned the Law Society for a special general meeting to discuss legal aid strategy, it emerged this week - as lawyers in Sunderland became the latest region to vote for strike action in protest at the means-testing scheme.


Southampton solicitor Roger Peach has obtained more than 200 signatures in support of a motion urging the Society to reject the principle of competitive tendering for criminal legal aid and to renegotiate contract terms with the Legal Services Commission (LSC). The meeting will be held before the end of January.


Mr Peach said he had received 'huge support' from defence solicitors, predicting that they would 'turn up in vast numbers to debate this motion'.


Desmond Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society's representative arm, said solicitors were feeling 'exploited' by legal aid changes and forced to 'vent their concerns'. He added: 'The Law Society wants to see a viable and sustainable legal aid system which protects the most vulnerable in society. As the representative body for solicitors, [it] provides the forum for debates on important issues facing members. We must also ensure that our policy on such a key issue is credible and realistic.'


Mr Peach, who formed pressure group the Criminal Defence Action Group this month, said he was 'optimistic' that solicitors would vote for 'decisive action' at a national meeting of the group in Birmingham's NEC on 30 November.


Meanwhile, solicitors in Sunderland have voted to boycott the magistrates' court on 4 and 5 December in protest at the means-testing regime. Law Society Council member and Sunderland solicitor Michael Robinson said solicitors who attend Sunderland Magistrates' Court - from around eight firms - had agreed to take part in the action, although they will continue to represent clients at police stations.


He said: 'We want this whole system of means testing to be scrapped. It is not necessary and causes delay. Why not simply have orders for costs on conviction, as they already have in the Crown Court?'


A joint statement from the Legal Services Commission and Department for Constitutional Affairs said the means-testing form and application process were being urgently reviewed, and the system has already processed 45,000 applications. It warned that the Sunderland action could be contrary to defendants' interests.