Access to justice?

Posted 16/11/2012

Within legal circles, there has been much talk of how the ‘Jackson proposals’ and legal aid cuts will affect the legal landscape as from April 2013.

Lord Justice Jackson has suggested major changes in the recovery of costs in civil proceedings and the Government has confirmed a fierce reduction in the availability of state assistance with legal costs in civil and criminal matters.

Legal aid is being removed from family and welfare advice and representation and personal claimants may be asked to pay success fees out of their damages by their lawyers. Business plans are being ripped up and rewritten on a daily basis.

Will the man or woman on the street see any difference? Being tasked with rewriting a business plan for personal injury work, I have been reminded by all of the team that what we enjoy and are gratified by most is helping clients achieve the best result in their circumstances. As long as lawyers can do this and make a profit, there should be little or no change.

So the search is on to provide the best service in the most efficient way, but with the emphasis very much on the best service. What this firm will not stint on is the passion and invention we employ to get the best result. I think the general public will be surprised.