Peter Minnikin

Positive Responses Retain Legal Aid Contract for McCormicks

Leading Harrogate criminal law practice McCormicks has won a contract with the Legal Aid Agency to continue to supply services for both its own clients and those that need assistance of the duty solicitor.

Duty Solicitors represent people who do not have a solicitor but require legal representation, both at the police station and in court.

All solicitors in private practice dealing with publicly-funded work have to be assessed by an external auditor. Legal Aid provides funding for certain types of work, such as advice on criminal proceedings and family breakdowns, to around two million people every year.

Awarding of the contract followed a successful Specialist Quality Mark report which stated that McCormicks’ Crime department monitored the financial position closely, completed file reviews face-to-face, which was good practice, and that all files reviewed were in “good order and easy to follow”.

It said: “All the feedback forms provided by clients show very positive responses, which is a credit to the firm and shows that the firm is delivering a good standard of service to clients.”

All firms who carry out Legal aid work must also have their cases assessed by their peers, a process known as peer review, McCormicks’ Crime Department gained one of the highest marks, underlining the quality of the work.

Partner Peter Minnikin, who heads the Crime and Fraud department, said: “The comments are a testimonial to the hard work and dedication of my colleagues. We think it is incredibly important to continue with this type of work that supports people at some of the most difficult times of their lives. The recent independent reports show that we continue to deal with this work to a very high standard.”