Actually I have read the web pages of law firms and confirmed that the law firms I send my enquiry to all accept legal aid. But I get no reply for my enquiries.
I think lawyers can still make money from people who seek for legal aid, particularly when they are required to pay for something not completely covered by it. Am I wrong?
2007-12-11 19:00:47 · 10 answers · asked by wailoktam 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
nope your not wrong, just make sure the firms you are contacting do cover what it is you need help with
regards x kitti x
2007-12-11 19:03:41 · answer #1 · answered by misskitti7® 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Solicitor Firms have the choice whether they apply for the legal aid contract or not.......the ones who specialise in particular areas of law usually dont bother. The main reason why some dont bother is because the money can be a long time coming from the legal fund....there is also masses of paperwork to complete before, during and after a case
If you think you are eligible you just need to look for the firms that advertise the Legal Services logo
When you make your enquiries you need to be providing an awful lot of information such as income, savings and property value
2007-12-14 11:06:57 · answer #2 · answered by stormydays 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legal aid is only available for certain types of legal work and by solicitors who meet the franchise criteria.
The solicitors concerned cannot influence whether you or your case qualify for legal aid at all. It may be that you clearly don't and therefore there's no response.
Or it may be the nature of your inquiry means you are not getting a response. It's odd that none of the firms reply, maybe you need to look again at your enquiry to see why.
Solicitors acting under a legal aid certificate (or legal funding certificate as it is now known) are not entitled to be paid additional money 'privately;' by the assisted client to do extra work and must refuse any money offered.
I'm not sure whether this answers the question but if it does, I hope it helps.
2007-12-11 22:37:54 · answer #3 · answered by JZD 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Law firms accept legal aid quite alright. However, free legal aid in most cases are arranged by Government and the salaried lawyers involved do get paid by Government. Additionally, exceptional law firms do arrange free legal aid occasionally.
Law firms do not expect income what-so-ever from free legal aid. It is therefore pointless to exchange correspondence with you on this topic.
Please note that Lawyers have disciplinary committee. No lawyer will demand money illegally, more so, from financially handicapped client. The committee will NEVER take kindly to what-ever is the defence of such lawyer
2007-12-11 19:50:39 · answer #4 · answered by Michael A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will find that many solicitors are giving up their legal aid franchises.
This is not down to them being greedy. This is down to the legal aid department wishing to "centralise" the system by having 2/3 practitioners per county. They are achieving this by placing more requirements on solicitors to meet the standards they have put in place and by becoming "difficult" in making payments under the scheme.
Many solicitors have taken the only option available to them and simply given up legal aid work. There is little return due to the fixed pricing system in place and by the time they have run around trying to get paid most show a loss.
My wife has been in the law since leaving school. Most firms she deals with have given up their franchises.
2007-12-11 19:56:14 · answer #5 · answered by one shot 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lawyers are reluctant to be so willing to take on free cases.
If people think they have a valid case and want a lawyer to provide free service, suddenly the case isn't so valid when the attorney brings up the subject of a fee.
Lawyers can tell if a person is serious, or if he just wants to sue to turn a quick buck.
In a criminal case the court will appoint you an attorney if you cannot afford one, but
this does not apply in a civil case.
2007-12-11 19:28:05 · answer #6 · answered by Barry auh2o 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Things are changing with the legal aid scheme. One of them being solicitors will be paid a fixed amount per case regardless of the potential amount of work involved for that case. I suspect that may make an increasing number of law practices ever more choosey about what they will undertake for clients using the legal aid scheme.
2007-12-11 19:32:51 · answer #7 · answered by 203 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know the lawyers where my GF works refuse people who are on legal aid. I think it's not financially viable for them or that it takes a long time to get the money. But I know for certain that they refuse it.
2007-12-11 20:10:22 · answer #8 · answered by tom_p1980 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry life has gotten so bad for you. There's nothing a lawyer can do for you, with the info you give. Possibly a mental health professional could help sort out this situation with you.
2016-05-23 04:39:56 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free legal aid is difficult to get.Lawyers are finding difficult to meet both ends.Family courts,Consumer courts,Community Courts etc have taken away considerable business of practicing lawyers.There is scramble among advocates to take up cases of accident claims,insurance claims etc.
2007-12-11 19:11:51 · answer #10 · answered by leowin1948 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋