Protest: Barristers at a previous legal aid demonstration at Southwark Crown Court
(Picture: Jeff Moore )Thousands of criminal barristers in England and Wales are set to go on strike over a pay dispute.
The Criminal Bar Association confirmed it would go ahead with a work-to-rule amid a dispute over legal aid rates for defence lawyers.
From Monday, criminal barristers will impose a “no-returns” policy.
This means they will refuse cases passed to them by other barristers who were set to appear but cannot do so because another trial has overrun.
Bar leaders said they were taking action because low pay has resulted in “increasing numbers” of lawyers “leaving our ranks to find alternative work that offers a viable career”.
The association, which represents 2,400 criminal barristers in England and Wales, has accused ministers of dragging their feet over introducing a 15 per cent rise in rates for legal aid.
The rise in rates was recommended by an independent review.
Jo Sidhu QC, Chair of The Criminal Bar Association, said they were taking action after poor pay led to an “alarming exodus” of barristers from publicly funded work.
Mr Sidhu added “immediate and substantial improvement to fees in order to halt the alarming exodus of criminal barristers from publicly funded work” was needed.
The number of criminal barristers has plummeted by a quarter in the past five years, while 25 per cent plan to leave the profession altogether, according to research.
Junior criminal barristers earned salaries of £12,200 after expenses in their first three years, further research found.
In March, the UK government agreed to invest an extra £135m per year – a 15 per cent rise - into legal aid in line with recommendations made in a reporter by influential barrister Sir Christopher Bellamy.
In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said it will spend the extra cash in an effort to give legal aid lawyers their “biggest pay boost in a decade”.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “We owe our whole legal profession – solicitors, barristers, court staff and judiciary – a debt of gratitude for keeping the wheels of justice turning over the last two years.
“That’s why we are accepting Sir Christopher Bellamy’s recommendation for an uplift in fees and a total of £135 million extra investment to ensure legal representation is there for those who most need it as we build back a stronger and fairer society after the pandemic.”
However, the association says the pay rise is not enough and demands the government increase the criminal legal aid budget by at least 25 per cent.
