The Law Society has backed a challenge to the Legal Services Commission's (LSC) decision to withdraw funding for its specialist support service later this year.

A Society spokeswoman said it was unhappy with the peremptory termination of the service and is looking at becoming an interested party in any legal proceedings.


A group of not-for-profit organisations said last week it will launch judicial review proceedings if the LSC fails to reconsider its position (see [2006] Gazette, 23 February, 1).


The LSC said the decision was not a cut to civil legal aid, but a reprioritising to increase the number of people helped through face-to-face and CLS Direct services.


Law Society President Kevin Martin said: 'The Society is keeping the matter under close scrutiny.'


Leigh Day & Co solicitor Jamie Beagent said the group would issue proceedings if it had not received a satisfactory response from the LSC by the beginning of March.