New Legal Aid form needs adjustments

An electronic form will be used to apply for Legal Aid says The Legal Aid Agency to help criminal legal aid lawyers after a problem arose over three months ago.

The new CRM14 eForm will help move criminal applications and billing online. The Criminal Law Solicitors Association held a conference with a Q&A session which confirmed a firm had to abandon the form in July 2014 after a month of using it.

A lawyer is required to sign the form to show they have gone through the questions on the interests of justice and financial aspects with the client.

Nick Walsh a higher courts advocate and partner at VHS Fletchers, said: "It sounds very easy, but in practical terms I want legal aid before the first hearing. I'm not going to wait until he's charged and then show him the form. I'm going to do that in my office. And I can't do that in my office because he isn't with me when I submit that form. I can't say I've [shown him the form]."

Programme manager Lisa Jeffery said the amendment to the form was to be made in November 2014 as the meeting had confirmed the wording needed readjusting.

If you need advice to apply for legal funding, look no further, our Barnsley Legal Aid Solicitors are on hand to help. Call us today on 01302 360606 or email mail@jpdoncaster.co.uk.  

GV Hale & Co

Barnsley Legal Aid Solicitors