The Chief Minister’s Access to Justice Review was set up with the aim of modernising Jersey’s legal aid scheme, which ensures that every Islander has access to legal representation should they need it.
Among the proposals of the the Jersey Law Society – the body that represents the industry in the Island – which was appointed to suggest changes to the scheme, is for the Island’s law firms to no longer solely fund legal aid, which is estimated to cost between £7 million and £9 million a year, and for some of the cost to be picked up by the taxpayer.
The review is being undertaken in co-operation with the Jersey Consumer Council and Citizens Advice Jersey.
Malcolm Ferey, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: ‘We want to encourage people to respond to this survey because it is evident that the legal aid system is in need of reform.
The proposals and online survey response form can be found at jerseylawsociety.je/legal-aid-jersey.
