London solicitors’ body calls on members to join barristers’ strike
The London criminal solicitors’ trade body has called on its members to back the barristers strike, after criminal barristers voted in favour of plans to stage series of court walkouts, starting from next week.
The London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association (LCCSA) called on its members to support the barristers strike by joining their colleagues in walking out of court.
The call comes after the barristers voted for plans to launch a strike next Monday, in a week-long ballot held by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA).
The strike is set to see barristers stage a two-day court walkout on Monday 27th to Tuesday 28th of June, with a view to extending the action by one day each week, until all five working days are covered, at which point the strike will run for alternating weeks.
LCCSA president Hesham Puri said solicitors must “stand together” with their colleagues at the Bar, in calling for a sharper increase in legal aid fees.
In launching their strike, the CBA are calling for criminal legal aid fees to be increased 25 per cent, after the government offered a 15 per cent hike in March.
The government’s offer comes after an independent review of legal aid by Sir Christopher Bellamy QC said a 15 per cent increase is the minimum needed to nurse the legal aid system back to health after “years of neglect”.
The LCCSA called on its members to join barristers on the picket line outside the Old Bailey on Monday the 27th June.