Lawyer speaks out on govt cuts to legal services

The government's cuts to legal services have been criticised by people from several quarters, with the most recent person to speak out being a lawyer.

Stuart Pemble wrote for the Birmingham Post's blog that this current development affects everyone and is a serious issue.

He said that what people think about the proposed cuts will depend on a variety of factors, such as their political point of view and personal experience.

Mr Pemble referred to the argument used by some that the free legal services system serves to make lawyers wealthy.

He said this argument is not true, as legal aid solicitors do not earn that much.

To illustrate the point, he said that legal aid lawyers are only fat cats in the same way that town planners, teachers, social workers and probation officers are, as their salaries are on a similar scale.

"...I am persuaded by the need for the government to take some tough decisions. I am far less persuaded that the proposed changes to legal aid are the right thing to do," he added.

In addition, Stuart Henderson, a managing partner at a law firm, wrote for the Lawyer that civil justice will be endangered by cuts to legal aid.

Published by Hannah Carr