CLAIR – Where do we go from here?

Following the publication of Sir Christopher Bellamy’s Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review report on 14 December 2021, the government has committed to responding by the end of March 2022.

The report and recommendations have generated a great deal of debate across the sector about what might happen next for criminal legal aid. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid will be hosting a meeting on 9 February 2022 to consider the CLAIR report. The Minister with responsibility for criminal legal aid, James Cartlidge MP, will be speaking along with representatives from a range of practitioner groups.

Confirmed speakers:

- Minister James Cartlidge MP

- Andy Slaughter MP, Shadow Solicitor General

- I.Stephanie Boyce , President of The Law Society

- Mark Fenhalls QC, Chair of The Bar Council

- Daniel Bonich, Chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association

- Jo Sidhu QC, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association

- Hesham Puri, President of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association

- Katie McFadden, YLAL

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88119763763?pwd=cTBlZnRQVzhSZGRSaXVnbUJtT01mUT09

Passcode: 617199

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Legal Aid was established in July 2009, and is co-sponsored by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG) and Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL). It operates by holding regular meetings at Parliament to discuss issues relating to legal aid. Chaired by Karen Buck MP, The APPG acts as an important forum for discussion of all issues surrounding legal aid. It provides a point of contact between the Government, Parliament and all who have an interest in the legal aid sector: these include clients, lawyers, the wider public, professional bodies, practitioners’ groups, charities, campaign organisations, and many others. It constitutes a practical way of engaging with the on-going reform process through contact with Parliamentarians – both MPs and Lords – who have a direct influence on the outcome of that process.

APPG on Legal Aid - 'CLAIR - where do we go from here?'