Annual update on the Quality Assurance Scheme for Criminal Legal Assistance

Thursday, May 31, 2018

This update provides details of the decisions taken and the findings relating to the Criminal Quality Assurance Scheme, for reviews which were considered between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017. This is the fifth annual update highlighting, in general terms, the issues and areas of good practice and the areas for improvement identified in the peer reviews considered between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017.

All criminal solicitors who have registered with the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to provide criminal legal assistance are subject to peer review. The reviews are being carried out over an initial six year cycle. The scheme is overseen by the SLAB’s Criminal Quality Assurance Committee, which comprises three members appointed by SLAB, three members appointed by the Law Society of Scotland, and three independent or lay members appointed in consultation with the Society. During 2016/17, the following served on the Committee:  

The Committee receives professional advice and support from Professor Alan Paterson OBE, Director of the Centre for Professional Legal Studies at the University of Strathclyde.  Professor Paterson, who is one of Europe’s leading experts on quality assurance systems in the legal profession, also provides training and oversees the work of the peer reviewers.

Further details of how the scheme operates can be found in Part 1, Chapter 3 of the Criminal Legal Aid Handbook.

You can download the findings here.

Further information

If you would like further information please contact:

• Kingsley Thomas – Head of Criminal Legal Assistance, Tel – 0131 240 2085, thomaski@slab.org.uk
• Edith Cook – Criminal QA Co-ordinator, Tel – 0131 240 2000, cooked@slab.org.uk