Payment must be made to the nominated solicitor

Accounts submitted under advice and assistance or legal aid must be paid to you as ‘nominated solicitor’ in accordance with your legal aid payment mandate.

In circumstances where you move firm and continue to act on behalf of the assisted person you must submit a single final account at the conclusion of the proceedings for all work that has been reasonably done, including any work that was carried out at any previous firms.

The exception to this is where you have previously made an interim claim prior to 1 October 2022, and had to submit an account in support of that claim.

Where this applies any subsequent accounts must only include work that has not been claimed for in a previous account.

We will only make one payment to the firm that you, as nominated solicitor, direct us to make payment to.

We will not apportion payments.

It is important to note that any payments that may be due to a previous firm, whether in terms of contractual arrangements or any other agreements you may have with that firm, are your responsibility.

We have no involvement in this process.

If you instruct us to make payment of an account to a previous firm you must ensure that you leave your practitioner link open to that firm to allow us to do so.

It is your responsibility to close down payment links to any previous firms if you no longer wish us to make payment to a previous firm.

You should email finance@slab.org.uk where necessary to amend your payment details.

If you require further information or assistance with payments of accounts you should email us at support.accounts@slab.org.uk.

Assessment of an account – the process and role of the assessor
Taxation and Note of Objections procedure

In this section

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Guidance in relation to the preparation and assessment of Contempt of Court Legal Aid Accounts

This guidance applies to your accounts which are chargeable in terms of the Legal Aid in Contempt of Court Proceedings (Scotland) (Fees) Regulations 1992

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Statutory tests of taxation and payment from the Fund

Guidance on regulations that form the basis, set by Parliament, on which you are entitled to payment and is termed the standard of taxation.

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Assessment of an account – the process and role of the assessor

Guidance to facilitate the submission of an account that can be assessed by our staff and paid as claimed with minimum intervention or negotiation.

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Taxation and Note of Objections procedure

Guidance on taxation and note of objections procedure

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Preparation and submission of your account

Information on how to submit and prepare your accounts

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Factors to consider when preparing your account

Guidance on factors to consider when preparing your account

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Administrative work and expenses

Guidance on work chargeable

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Aggregation for time at court including any necessary travel

Guidance on how fees for time at court and travelling must be calculated and makes clear they are payable on the basis of the total time engaged per day

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Apportionment

Guidance on the apportionment of charges

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Work and time recording

Guidance on retaining file notes to supplement your account and copies of correspondence, documentation received throughout a case

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Our power to request information

Guidance on what information we may request for the purposes of performing our functions under the Act

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Who can provide Contempt of Court Legal Aid

The question as to who can provide legal aid is central to an understanding as to what is properly chargeable in your account.

Introduction to Contempt of Court Accounts

Employment of counsel, expert witness, unusual work or unusually large expenditure

Guidance on the employment of counsel, expert witness, unusual work or unusually large expenditure