Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel

Overview

Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel has been established in response to recommendations set out in Martyn Evans’ independent review of legal aid.

It includes experts from across the legal profession to advise on an evidence-based approach for a review of fee levels for legal aid services.

The experts include academics and members of the Faculty of Advocates, the Society of Solicitor Advocates, the Law Society and the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Functions of the panel: 

• examine the current legislative framework for payment of solicitors and advocates in order to propose an optimal framework for the long term
• identify improvements which could be implemented in the short term to address payment and rates of fees, prior to implementation of a bill
• analyse and compare the existing fee structures in the legal assistance schemes against international models and models in other policy areas
• appraise the different models for payment via the legal assistance schemes with a view to identifying an effective structure and review system
• consider mechanisms for ensuring supply of services e.g. alternative fee agreements; service level agreements; fee weighting; panels

Members

• Professor Graeme Roy, Director of the Fraser Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde
• Professor Emeritus Frank Stephen, economist
• Ruth Innes QC, Faculty of Advocates
• Ronaldo Renucci QC, Faculty of Advocates
• Ross Yuill, Society of Solicitor Advocates
• Ian Moir, Law Society of Scotland
• Mark Thorley, Law Society of Scotland
• Paul Brown, Scottish Association of Law Centres
• Raymond McMenamin, Scottish Legal Aid Board
• Colin Lancaster, Scottish Legal Aid Board
• Gillian Fyfe, Citizens Advice Scotland
• Professor Emeritus Mike Danson, economist
• Neil Rennick, Scottish Government, Director of Justice (Chair)

Documents

• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: January 2020
• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: November 2019
• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: October 2019
• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: September 2019
• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: July 2019
• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: June 2019
• Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel minutes: March 2019