A
recent case we have been involved in as recruiters has finally hit the big time.
The LSC have been heavily criticised by an MP for their dealings with a duty
solicitor. Yesterday Steve McCabe MP stood up in the House of Commons and
delivered a speech to question the relevant minister about the matter. I have
pasted below his press release, sent out shortly before the speech was made.
The
link to the Hansard entry is: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130903/halltext/130903h0002.htm#13090344000002
- gives a bit of information as well about the government's plans.
We
are involved in the case as the recruitment agency who introduced Mr Majid to
Knights Solicitors. This was a last minute introduction, done before a duty
solicitor rota deadline in 2010. Mr Sajjad Khan/Ahmad, the senior partner at
Knights Solicitors, was arrested by police and is currently due to appear before
the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Press Release from Steve McCabe:
MP slams
Legal Aid Agency in House of Commons debate
Steve
McCabe, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Selly Oak, is due to bring the Legal
Aid Agency, formally the Legal Services Commission, to task over its unfair
treatment of a constituent in an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on
Tuesday 2 September 2013.
Steve
McCabe was first contacted by Kamran Majid in summer 2011 when he asked Steve to
take up his case. Since then Steve has been trying to get a meaningful and
genuine response from the Legal Services Commission (LSC) but to no avail.
Mr
Majid was taken on as a solicitor by a firm which were under investigation by
the LSC for large scale fraud. Despite this the LSC allowed Mr Majid’s Duty
Solicitor submission to be registered with them in May 2010 but then 20 days
later the LSC terminated all legal aid contracts held by Knights Solicitors.
This meant that Mr Majid could not undertake any of the legal aid work the LSC
had previously approved him to do.
Mr
Majid requested that he transfer his legal aid work to another solicitors firm
as the LSC had done with 15 other solicitors. However, the LSC refused to do
this and did not offer any meaningful explanation; it seemed the LSC were
somehow implicating Mr Majid in the alleged fraud at Knights Solicitors. This
had grave consequences for Mr Majid who felt his reputation was irrevocably
damaged; he was put under considerable financial strain and left without
employment for 7 months.
After
persistent enquiries from both Steve McCabe and Mr Majid the LSC decided to
admit that they actually did make an error in allowing 15 other duty solicitors
in similar positions to Mr Majid to pursue legal aid work. This happened before
and after the sanctions taken against Knights Solicitors. Although the LSC
admitted an error they did nothing to correct it and allowed the 15 other
solicitors to enjoy a benefit which they denied to Mr Majid.
Steve
McCabe also brought this matter before the Parliamentary and Health Service
Ombudsman but no satisfactory response from this body.
Steve
McCabe MP said:
“I have called this adjournment debate as I do not believe that the LSC, which is a publicly funded body, have acted in a proper way towards my constituent. I do not feel that at any point they have helped me with my enquiries and it appears they have purposefully tried to mislead both myself and Mr Majid.
“I have called this adjournment debate as I do not believe that the LSC, which is a publicly funded body, have acted in a proper way towards my constituent. I do not feel that at any point they have helped me with my enquiries and it appears they have purposefully tried to mislead both myself and Mr Majid.
“The
crux of the matter is that the LSC penalised my constituent but allowed 15 other
solicitors an opportunity they denied to my constituent. This is clearly unfair
and we need to know how they made a ‘mistake’ before and after Mr Majid’s case
but can claim they got it right for him. I also want to know why the LSC
approved my constituent’s contract with Knights Solicitors if the very same firm
was under investigation for fraud and was being shut down only days later.
“Does
the LSC not have a duty to protect solicitors that carry out legal aid work? In
my opinion Mr Majid is an innocent victim of public bureaucracies who have
protected themselves rather than the innocent party and I hope the Minister will
pursue this matter. We are talking about several million pounds being lost in
fraud and these people at the LSC covering it up and picking on an innocent man.
It’s an utter disgrace.”
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