St Andrew’s Day and festive closures: Payment arrangements and emergency Helpline
17 November 2025
Details of payment dates and SLAB office closures for St Andrew’s Day, Christmas and New Year, including our emergency Helpline for urgent legal aid assistance.
Vacancies
Vacancy: Solicitor – CLAO Edinburgh
7 November 2025
We’re looking for a committed Solicitor to join us & handle a varied legal aid caseload, delivering high-quality, trauma-informed legal advice & representation.
General
Reform vital for Scotland’s legal aid system despite record annual spend
30 October 2025
Our Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2025 published today reveals record legal aid spending of £169 million.
Vacancies
Vacancy: Solicitor – CLAO Aberdeen
24 October 2025
An excellent opportunity for anyone who excels at civil litigation to help shape how we deliver impactful legal services & promote access to justice.
All solicitor updates
Solicitor satisfaction surveys
9 October 2025
We will be issuing micro-surveys measuring solicitor satisfaction with our applications and accounts service for civil, children’s and criminal legal aid.
General
Phone system issues resolved
29 September 2025
The earlier issues with our phone system have been traced and resolved
Civil
SLAB backs Holyrood committee’s report identifying need for reform of legal aid system
18 September 2025
We support calls by the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee for reform of the legal aid system in Scotland
All solicitor updates
Prescription (Scotland) Act 2018 and how this affects payment of legal aid accounts where there has been lengthy delay by the solicitor responding to SLAB actions
11 September 2025
The Act amends the Prescription & Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 to include statutory obligations in the list of obligations which prescribe after five years.
Legal Aid Online (LAOL) will not be available on Saturday 20 September from 7pm to 10pm so we can deploy essential maintenance updates.
Criminal
Solemn trial preparation fees payable where the case is disposed of at an accelerated Trial Diet
9 September 2025
Where a case proceeds to an accelerated Trial Diet the trial preparation fee under Schedule 1A, Part 2, paragraph 5(a) of Criminal Fees Regulations is payable
