Legal Aid

• State-funded civil legal help


  LAA (Legal Aid Agency)- Legal aid, sentencing and punishment of offenders act 2012

  • Legal help scheme- advice and assistant from solicitor
  • Help at Court Scheme- cover cost of lawyer
  • Family Help Scheme- case preparation of a family court case
  • Family Mediation- may be settled by mediation
  • Legal representation Scheme- cover the cost of a court case entirely

  All of these are means and merits tested

  Means- clients income

  Merits- worthy case
• State-funded criminal case aid 


  LAA- Legal Aid Agency

  • Duty solicitor at police station
  • Duty solicitor at magistrates court
  • Representation in Magistrates court
  • Representation in Crown court
• Private funded civil aid


  • No win- no fee
  • Law centres and citizens advice bureau
  • Pro-bono
  • Insurance companies/ trade unions