The right to free legal aid in criminal cases in Scotland is centuries old but with solicitors leaving the profession, even if you are eligible, you may struggle to find representation.
There are currently 911 solicitors in Scotland on the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s criminal register. The number of solicitors over the age of 50 outnumber those under 30, by a ratio of two to one. There is already a crisis in legal aid, but the next five to ten years could be catastrophic.
Follow along here for all the articles in our series.
Day One
‘Imminent wasteland’: Third of criminal lawyers due to retire in next 10 years
More than a third of legal aid lawyers in Scotland due to retire in the next decade, leading to fears that the current crisis in criminal law could be “unsolvable”. Andrew Learmonth and Rebecca McCurdy investigate.
Explainer: What is legal aid and who qualifies to get it?
Kathleen Nutt explains who qualifies for legal aid in Scotland and how it operates.
On the frontline of Scotland’s legal aid crisis: the views from the profession
Our political team speak to those on the frontlines of the legal profession and what problems they experience and see arising from the legal aid crisis in this long read.
‘The Scottish Government needs to see legal aid as an investment’
Scotland’s legal aid crisis is hitting access to justice for everyday Scots, from survivors of domestic abuse to families needing guardianship support. With legal aid solicitors leaving the profession and government reforms delayed, rural areas are already feeling the strain. Read why top lawyer Pat Thom says the backbone of society is at risk — and what needs to change.
What’s the provision of legal aid in your area? A deep dive into our data
The provision of legal aid varies across the country. Rebecca McCurdy presents an analysis deep dive into the key statistics and the data behind access to legal aid.
