In support of the action being taken by solicitors around the country and in protest of the devastating effect that the cuts to legal aid have had, and will have, on access to justice and a defendant’s right to a fair trial, the Crime Team at Garden Court Chambers will not, until further notice, be undertaking any work on cases where the representation order is dated after 1 July 2015.
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) is currently balloting its members on whether a ‘No Returns’ policy should also be adopted, meaning that barristers will not cover each other’s cases when trial counsel is unavailable. Garden Court Crime Team strongly supports this course of action and would urge all members of the CBA to vote in support of the proposal. We are currently making arrangements in accordance with our professional duties for this policy to be implemented shortly after the CBA ballot closes.
Further details on the action can be found via the LCCSA website and via the Guardian.