Legal Aid

A public consultation has been launched as part of a review of civil legal services in Northern Ireland. The Department of Justice is seeking views from people who have needed to get legal advice or help in court for issues including family courts, non-molestation order, faulty goods, exclusion from

Northern Ireland's legal aid spend was close to £102 million in 2022/23, an increase of seven per cent on the previous year, new figures show. A total of 63,976 cases were granted legal aid, of which over two-thirds (68 per cent) were criminal cases and around a third were civil cases.

Stormont's new justice committee has been briefed on key issues by the Bar of Northern Ireland and the Law Society of Northern Ireland. The new committee is chaired by DUP MLA Joanne Bunting, with Sinn Féin's Deirdre Hargey as vice-chair. It heard from representatives of the two legal profess

Nuala Egan SC has been appointed as chairperson of the Legal Aid Board. An experienced barrister who previously served on the Board, Ms Egan succeeds Ms Justice Nuala Jackson, who was appointed in 2021 for what was originally meant to be a five-year term.

The Legal Aid Board's family mediation service has launched a new call-back service aimed at making free mediation more accessible to families. Free mediation is available to families who have undergone a divorce, separation or living apart, as well as those navigating challenges in the aftermath of

The barristers and solicitors who earned the most from the criminal legal aid scheme in 2023 have been named. Wayne Kenny, principal of Dublin-based French Kenny Solicitors, was the highest-earning solicitor with earnings of €882,074.

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has invited solicitor members to complete a first-of-its-kind survey on the value of legal aid. The anonymous 10-minute survey, which can be accessed by clicking here, is part of a study commissioned by the Law Society and being undertaken by Rocket Science UK Ltd

Barristers' fees should be restored "as a matter of urgency" and direct payments should be introduced for those practising in the District Court, the Oireachtas justice committee has recommended. The committee yesterday published its pre-legislative scrutiny report on the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid

An £11 million boost to Northern Ireland's legal aid budget was announced today as more than 200 criminal barristers staged a day of strike action over lengthy payment delays. The Department of Justice announced the additional £10.9m in funding following talks with the Department of Fina

Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland are to stage a one-day strike on Friday 17 November 2023 in an escalating dispute over delays in legal aid payments. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) previously balloted members on a withdrawal of services in response to “unprecedented and worsening&rd

Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland will walk out next month in a legal aid dispute — just weeks after barristers south of the border secured a significant increase in fees in a similar action. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) balloted members on a withdrawal of services in response to "

The Bar Council has welcomed a 10 per cent increase in criminal legal aid fees in Budget 2024 as an "important first step" on the path to full fee restoration for criminal practitioners. Justice minister Helen McEntee yesterday confirmed that a total of €9 million has been allocated to provide

Criminal legal aid fees will be boosted by 10 per cent early next year, justice minister Helen McEntee announced following the unveiling of Budget 2024. Over €3.27 billion in current expenditure and €274 million for capital projects has been allocated to the justice sector in the budget pr

An additional €172 million has been allocated to the justice sector in Budget 2024 — but it is not immediately clear whether criminal legal aid fees will be increased. Neither finance minister Michael McGrath nor public expenditure, NDP delivery and reform minister Paschal Donohoe referre

The Bar of Ireland has shared photos of barristers gathering in front of courthouses across the State as part of today's withdrawal of criminal legal aid services. You can find more pictures on Twitter by looking up the #FairIsFair hashtag.