J
joinerjohn
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17739833
Strange thing this Legal Aid. When I was going through divorce in the mid 80's, my solicitor got me to apply for Legal Aid. I filled in the forms , had to attend an interview, investigating my income and expenditure. A few months later I got a letter from the Law Society saying I had been granted Legal Aid. It was going to cost me almost £500 (my contribution towards the cost of divorce). I went to see my solicitor for advice. He told me , his bill for my divorce would be around a tenth of what the Law Society were demanding and advised me not to sign the form accepting Legal Aid. I didn't sign the form . Around 3 or 4 months later, my divorce went through the courts. When the decree absolute was issued by the court, my solicitor wrote to me advising , that I couldn't receive the decree until his bill was paid in full. When I received the final bill, I was surprised that it was for less than £45,,,,, Yes only Forty-five Pounds. When I paid the bill, I asked my solicitor what he would have received from the Law Society for his services, and he said "Exactly the same as you have just paid."
I had to ask what would have happened to the extra £455 had I signed the form from the Law Society, only to be told, they would have kept it.
Strange thing this Legal Aid. When I was going through divorce in the mid 80's, my solicitor got me to apply for Legal Aid. I filled in the forms , had to attend an interview, investigating my income and expenditure. A few months later I got a letter from the Law Society saying I had been granted Legal Aid. It was going to cost me almost £500 (my contribution towards the cost of divorce). I went to see my solicitor for advice. He told me , his bill for my divorce would be around a tenth of what the Law Society were demanding and advised me not to sign the form accepting Legal Aid. I didn't sign the form . Around 3 or 4 months later, my divorce went through the courts. When the decree absolute was issued by the court, my solicitor wrote to me advising , that I couldn't receive the decree until his bill was paid in full. When I received the final bill, I was surprised that it was for less than £45,,,,, Yes only Forty-five Pounds. When I paid the bill, I asked my solicitor what he would have received from the Law Society for his services, and he said "Exactly the same as you have just paid."
I had to ask what would have happened to the extra £455 had I signed the form from the Law Society, only to be told, they would have kept it.
