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Lawyers protest against cuts to criminal legal aid

Lawyers will be staging a dignified protest outside Exeter Crown Court today against proposed Government cuts to the criminal legal aid system.

The Ministry of Justice is planning to introduce competitive tendering for the service of giving legal advice to someone accused of an offence... and new limits on the amount lawyers can charge for providing the service.

The proposals also end the defendant's right to choose their lawyer, as the legal representative will be allocated by the State.

The changes will lead to a huge reduction in the number of lawyers offering the service.

The Law Society say they're not just concerned about the amount they can earn - they believe there will be more miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions as a result of the changes.

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