Michael is a current legal aid provider, and many of his clients qualify for legal aid.
Legal aid is a government-funded scheme that provides financial assistance to people who cannot afford to pay for legal representation. Legal aid is available for a range of legal matters, including criminal cases, family disputes, immigration cases, and civil proceedings.
To be eligible for legal aid, you must meet certain criteria, including:
Your case must be eligible for legal aid under the Legal Services Act 2011.
Your income and assets must be below a certain level.
Your case must have sufficient merit and be in the public interest.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for legal aid through the Legal Aid Authority, which is part of the Ministry of Justice. You can apply online or by filling out a paper application form.
Once your application is received, it will be assessed by the Legal Aid Authority to determine whether you meet the eligibility criteria and whether your case has sufficient merit. If your application is approved, the Legal Aid Authority will assign a lawyer to your case.
It's important to note that legal aid does not cover all legal costs, and you may be required to contribute towards the cost of your legal representation. The amount you are required to pay will depend on your income and assets.
Choice of counsel with criminal legal aid
For most criminal legal aid cases, Legal Aid will choose a lawyer at random to help you. For serious cases, you can choose your own lawyer. If you face very serious criminal charges and may go to prison for a long time (more than 10 years), you can choose a lawyer to represent you.
You always have choice of counsel if you wish to pay your lawyer directly.
Choice of counsel for other matters
For Parole hearings and all other types of legal aid (civil, immigration etc) you can choose a lawyer to represent you.