A former City solicitor has been given the legal aid portfolio in the reshuffled Ministry of Justice ministerial team, the ministry has revealed.

Shailesh Vara, formerly a solicitor at CMS Cameron McKenna, was given his first ministerial appointment last week, after Helen Grant was moved to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Vara has been made minister for the courts and legal aid. In addition, his portfolio includes judicial policy, civil law and justice, international business, legal services and claims management regulation, coroners and burial policy and regulation.

Legal aid is no longer specifically within Lord McNally’s brief, but as the only justice minister in the Lords, the liberal democrat peer will still continue to speak for the government on legal aid issues in the upper house.

Following the reshuffle, the rest of the justice team is unchanged. Chris Grayling remains justice secretary and is responsible for resourcing the department, its overall criminal justice, penal and rehabilitation strategy, judicial policy and appointments, other functions of the lord chancellor and EU and international matters.

Damian Green continues as minister for policing, criminal justice and victims, reporting jointly to the Home Office.

Jeremy Wright remains minister for prisons and rehabilitation, with additional responsibilities for youth justice and sentencing policy. Vara has been made minister for the courts and legal aid. In addition, his portfolio includes judicial policy, civil law and justice, international business, legal services and claims management regulation, coroners and burial policy and regulation.