Dear Colleague
- I am meeting the Law Society President and Chief Executive this afternoon to discuss the grave situation arising from the “measures to address legal aid pressures” announcement made by the DoJ last week. A further update will be provided following that meeting. The matter will also be discussed by the BSA Committee tonight at our own committee meeting. Please expect further details on this subject this week. It will require a decisive response from the profession and the BSA will insist on being fully involved and updated by the Law Society on what is planned in terms of response to the DoJ.
- Although of less importance but indicative of the lack of courtesy shown to the profession is the decision to relocate the solicitors room at level 3 at Laganside Courthouse. I met with Carol Nixon, Deputy Court Administrator, Laganside Courts last week to raise concerns about the proposal. Although this meeting had been arranged with various members of other Court User Committees for the 28th January 2014 the decision to close this room and relocate it to level 2 had already been taken by NICTS and its advisors. In fact the decision had been communicated to the Law Society and published via the e-Informer the day previous. This rendered my meeting meaningless; and so I objected in the strongest possible terms to this arrogant and disrespectful attitude of the decision makers to our profession- reminding everyone present that the solicitors of Belfast are the major user of the facilities at Laganside Courts.
This is not the first time that NICTS has invited the BSA to “engage” in discussions about a subject for which a decision has already been taken. Last year, a similar situation arose in connection with the “temporary” closure of the Old Townhall Building and at that time the BSA registered its objection to the manner in which that decision was mishandled by NICTS. Although it is now reported in the Rationalisation of NICTS Court Estate consultation documents that the Old Townhall Building may re open as part of these proposals.
In any event, I decided to view the new room that is being proposed to open for solicitors from the 1st March. It will come as no surprise that this request could not be facilitated either as the work ongoing in the room prevents anyone from having access.
In these most unsatisfactory of circumstances, all I can suggest is that when the new facility opens please contact the BSA with any complaints/criticisms and I will raise these with NICTS.
- Following on from my correspondence before Christmas about the situation at the Custody Suite at Musgrave Street PSNI I hope to have a further meeting with police later this month to discuss the issues in greater detail. If anyone wishes to provide me with examples of recent experience that should be raised with police please send those into the BSA Administrator.
Last month the BSA submitted two substantive responses to the DoJ consultations on (1) Access to Justice 2 and (2) Scope of Civil Legal Aid. These response documents will be available shortly via the website. Two further consultation document responses are being prepared in regards the use of expert witnesses and the criminal injury/criminal damage schemes. Further details regarding these responses will be provided in due course.
For now, best regards
Paul Dougan
Chairman, Belfast Solicitors’ Association