Solicitor speaks out on free legal advice cuts

Proposed cuts to free legal services in the UK have been criticised by a leading solicitor.

Linda Lee, president of the Law Society, said that she was against the government's plan to reduce the legal aid budget by £350 million.

She said: "We're absolutely opposed, and we're opposed because we think this is wrong for the individual. The individual sometimes needs protection and help, and they should have that."

Ms Lee added that the proposed cuts would have the effect of stopping "ordinary people" from seeking justice and that individuals would "be lost from the system".

In addition, Ms Lee said that people must have the help of free legal services to provide them with representation in court.

The unpopularity of the proposed reforms has been shown by The Law Society's Sound Off For Justice campaign, which so far has 4,500 signatories on a petition which it plans to send to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke.

Published by Hannah Carr