Solicitor and Firm Deregistered

Tuesday 26 July 2005

The Scottish Legal Aid Board announced today that it had removed the firm of Paul Kirk & Co., 748 Old Edinburgh Road, Viewpark, Uddingston and its partner, Paul Gerard Kirk, from the Criminal Legal Assistance Register for failing to comply with the Code of Practice for Criminal Legal Assistance.

This means that neither the firm of Paul Kirk & Co. nor Paul Gerard Kirk are now entitled to provide criminal legal aid or criminal advice and assistance under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986.

Ends

Journalists please contact:

Colin Sim tel (direct) 0131 240 2033, mobile 07768 707454, or email simco@slab.org.uk

Notes for editors

1. The Code of Practice for Criminal Legal Assistance is operated by the Board and came into effect on 1 October 1998. To register and remain registered to practise criminal legal assistance, individual firms and solicitors must show that they meet the standards of service set out by the Code in three main areas - management and administration systems, quality of service and standards of professional conduct.

2. Legal aid allows people who would not otherwise be able to afford it to get help for their legal problems. Legal aid and advice and assistance can only be accessed through a solicitor.

The Board’s mission is to promote the development and delivery of appropriate access to quality legal assistance for those eligible, in a cost-effective manner. In 2003-2004 £146.0 million was spent on providing legal aid.