Best value tendering
Watch the video
If you missed our live debate on the LSC's BVT proposals for criminal defence work, you can now view the free video of the event. Key speakers discuss the implications for firms and answer questions from the audience.
See the video
Report echoes our concerns
An independent report has echoed many of our concerns about the LSC's BVT proposals. The report by expert economists LECG concludes that the proposals could have a profound effect on the provision of criminal defence services.
Read the report's findings
Latest news
17 December 2009
BVT plans dropped following meetings with Law Society
The Law Society has welcomed the government's decision not to proceed with its planned pilots for best value tendering (BVT). The decision follows our long campaign against the proposals.
Read the statement
Our concerns
The Legal Services Commission's proposals for best value tendering for police station work are likely to have grave consequences for criminal practitioners. Our concerns, which are shared by all the practitioner associations, are that:
- Access to justice will be reduced
- There is a great risk of disrupting the existing supplier base
- No proper evaluation will take place
- No protections are offered to firms in the pilot areas, whose businesses could be badly affected
- Firms are likely to feel pressured to make unsustainably low bids in order to win a contract
- Quality will not be taken into account as part of the bid process
- The legal aid budget is under control; there is no necessity for these changes to be rushed through.
Summary of our concerns (PDF, 56Kb)
Summary of the BVT proposals (PDF, 15Kb)
News
7 August 2009
BVT proposals: Law Society seeks clarity
Following the Legal Services Commission's response to the BVT consultation, we have written to them to express our concerns about the lack of clarity over the bid process and how the pilots will operate.
Read the letter – 5 August (PDF, 703kb)
Read the LSC's response - 14 August (PDF, 1mb)
23 July 2009
LSC announces delay and full evaluation
Following our consistent lobbying, we welcome the Legal Services Commission's (LSC) announcement that it will delay the rollout of best value tendering (BVT) until 2013 to allow for a full evaluation. However, we are disappointed that the scheme has not been dropped altogether and believe the pilot schemes will have a potentially destructive impact on firms.
Read a Law Society statement
Read the full press release
June 2009
Consultation response: Law Society slams BVT proposals
We issued a strong consultation response to highlight the LSC's reckless approach.
Read our consultation response
Read the press release
June 2009
Auction of legal aid work: Society warns of dangers
In an interview with The Times, the Law Society has warned that the government decision to award legal aid contracts to the lowest bidders could lead to about 800 legal aid firms failing to secure a contract and face going out of business. Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: 'What is being proposed is potentially very dangerous from the point of view of clients, our criminal justice system and the taxpayer.'
Read the full article in The Times
19 June 2009
Conservatives would suspend national rollout of BVT
The Law Society has welcomed the news that a Conservative government would suspend the national rollout of best value tendering for criminal legal aid services, following the Society's vocal arguments against the scheme.
Read our full press release
Read more in the Gazette
June 2009
Petition to scrap BVT for criminal defence services
You can sign a Number 10 e-petition asking the prime minister to scrap the move towards best value tendering for publicly funded criminal defence services.
View the petition - deadline: 6 July
28 May 2009
BVT consultation: appeal for mass response
The Legal Services Commission is currently consulting on proposals for best value tendering (BVT) for criminal legal aid defence services (CDS). The Law Society is urging all legal aid firms to respond to the consultation. BVT could profoundly affect both the provision of criminal defence services and other legal aid services carried out by firms that undertake CDS work.
Read more
Read the consultation documents
May 2009
Best value tendering survey results
There were 390 responses to our online BVT survey. The findings included:
- 58 per cent of respondents said that if they obtain a BVT contract they believe their income will decrease, and only 1 per cent thought it would increase.
- 11 per cent said that they would cease doing any civil legal aid work if they fail to get a contract.
- 74 per cent felt that they do not currently have the financial expertise to deal with the bidding process.
Read the survey results (PDF, 66kb)
15 May 2009
Law Society CEO slams BVT roll-out
Law Society chief executive Des Hudson has slammed the Legal Services Commission's consultation on BVT for criminal legal aid, describing it as having potentially 'profound repercussions' in his speech to the Criminal Law Solicitors Association.
Read the full speech
May 2009
Competition law note
The Law Society is aware of the strong feelings amongst practitioners with regard to the BVT proposals. Firms should be aware of the constraints of competition law and must respond independently to the consultation. The Law Society's internal legal team has outlined the competition law principles applying to the Society and to any other representative body or group of firms.
Read the note on competition law (PDF, 53kb)
Background to our opposition
17 July 2008
Society opposition to BVT causes LSC to think again
Following strong opposition from the Law Society and its members, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has announced it may reconsider plans to introduce best value tendering (BVT) for criminal defence services.
Read the full press release
17 April 2008
BVT could result in a shortage of criminal lawyers
Criminal legal aid lawyers will be at risk of extinction if best value tendering (BVT) is introduced as law firms abandon training programmes to cut costs, says the Law Society.
Read the full press release
10 March 2008
Society says current proposals for BVT are unworkable
The Law Society is calling on the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to reassess their plans to introduce best value tendering (BVT) into criminal legal aid procurement, warning that the current plans could put many firms out of business.
Read the full press release
Read the Law Society's response to the LSC's consultation on BVT
Society survey shows lack of support for BVT proposals (PDF, 92kb)
Other opposition
Criminal Law Solicitors' Association: consultation response
London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association
The Bar Council: consultation response and report
Independent Defence Lawyers' consultation response