We’ve reached an agreement with the profession to resolve the current difficulties over instructing counsel on Very High Cost Cases.

Details were announced today by the Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, Jack Straw.

The LSC will increase the top rates for the current interim VHCC scheme to £152.50 an hour for both litigators and advocates at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

We’ve also published first details of how this will affect current panel members and non-panel members.

There is significant progress of the VHCC working group towards a new scheme of graduated fees for VHCCs, following our joint working group with the Bar Council, the Law Society, Ministry of Justice and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Read more...