R (Law Society) v Legal Services Commission; Dexter Montague (A Firm) v. LSC

Acting for Law Society and a firm of solicitors, at First Instance and in the Court of Appeal, on successful expedited JR and Procurement Regulations claim, in respect of the LSC’s introduction of the Unified Contract for civil legal aid.  Court held that LSC had breached the Public Procurement Regulations and the European principle of transparency in introducing the new Contract which contained wide power of unilateral amendment, and in requiring solicitors in the UK to contract on those terms only. 

Case has a substantial impact upon contracting by public bodies in areas where public bodies have traditionally sought to retain substantial rights unilaterally to amend the contract.  Ongoing role in advising the Law Society and solicitors firms on the consequences of the Judgment for civil and criminal legal aid contracts, and on potential further claims.