Law Society publishes findings from practicing certificate holder survey
Nearly two thirds of lawyers believe access to justice has declined
The Law Society of England and Wales published a report on 6 April on the findings from its latest survey of practicing certificate holders. The survey, which is designed to gather the views of the legal profession on a range of subjects, found that two-thirds of solicitors believe access to justice has worsened over the past 10 years, citing court delays and the decline in legal aid availability due to underfunding as the main barriers. The report also states that 61 per cent of those surveyed think that recent government policy has weakened the UK’s rule of law, particularly around refugee and asylum protections. The latest survey saw 1,961 members of the Law Society respond to questions relating to access to justice, the rule of law, career satisfaction, and mental health and wellbeing.