Report published on outcome of Criminal Quality Assurance Scheme and Peer Review criteria consultation

We have published a report on the responses we received to our consultation on the Criminal Quality Assurance Scheme and Peer Review criteria.

Six responses to the consultation were received, four from individual solicitors, one from the Law Society of Scotland (LSS), and one from the Glasgow Bar Association (GBA).

The report explains how we considered the responses and the resulting changes agreed by the Criminal Quality Assurance Committee.

We have now made the necessary changes to the Scheme and updated the criteria for use in the second cycle of peer reviews, which is now due to start in early 2019.

The final changes to the criteria will now be incorporated into the IT systems used by the peer reviewers. We also hope to have a number of other system improvements introduced at the same time.

We are also now further developing the new process for reviewing solicitors who cannot provide any or sufficient files for a review. This will involve a pilot series of reviews which will be referred to the CQAC in due course.

Please contact Kingsley Thomas, Head of Criminal Legal Assistance, thomaski@slab.org.uk for more information.