(L-R) David Mulholland, Chief Executive of the Bar of Northern Ireland and David A. Lavery CB, Chief Executive of the Law Society of Northern Ireland
Representatives from the legal profession are expected to tell the Assembly’s Justice Committee of their growing concerns that the proposed cuts to the Department of Justice budget will leave areas of Northern Ireland without legal aid services and representation.
The stark warning of ‘legal aid deserts’ follows concerns previously raised by both the Law Society and Bar of Northern Ireland about the future of solicitor firms and barrister practices who would be forced to restrict their services because of proposed cuts to the Justice budget.
The Law Society and the Bar will express deep concerns that the real impact of proposed budgetary cuts coupled with the huge backlog in the justice system will significantly affect the network of lawyers resulting in access to justice being severely curtailed or non-existent in many local towns.
The representative bodies will argue that the proposed cuts will hit the most vulnerable in society the hardest as they will struggle to fund legal proceedings or get professional legal advice and support on life changing issues.
The Law Society and the Bar have been calling on political decision makers to urgently review the proposed cuts and to consider the real implications on their local communities and constituents.
Commenting David A. Lavery CB, Chief Executive of the Law Society in Northern Ireland said:
“Lawyers are all too aware of the significant pressures the Justice System is currently operating under. It has been estimated that it may take until 2027 at the earliest for these backlogs to be cleared. The current proposals by the Department will cause further delays.”
“Solicitor firms in Northern Ireland tend to be relatively small, with over a quarter comprising only one solicitor while there are relatively few firms in the South and West of the province. It is these small, rural practices which are most under threat and the closure of those firms would be very damaging to the communities they serve.”
“This budget proposal must be reconsidered to ensure the network of legal representation throughout Northern Ireland is maintained and that communities can easily access the Justice System.”
David Mulholland, Chief Executive of the Bar of Northern Ireland added:
“Many people across Northern Ireland rely on Legal Aid to gain help on important issues including, the care of vulnerable children, family separation, domestic violence and the functioning of the criminal justice system.”
“It is difficult to stress the importance of Legal Aid to people until someone they know has to access a legal representative for help. It is usually a time of untold stress, anxiety, and worry. Without the proper support, our profession’s ability to do so will be severely limited.”
“The proposed budget creates the very real risk of forcing solicitors in many towns across Northern Ireland to cease practice. It will also massively reduce the availability of barristers to represent cases in court as the viability of taking on Legal Aid cases becomes unsustainable. Justice delayed is Justice denied. These proposals will see ordinary people being left behind and deserted by the Justice system.”