Access to Legal Aid in civil, administrative and family justice systems

Bingham Centre collaboration with the International Bar Association (IBA)

The IBA Bar Issues Commission and the IBA Access to Justice and Legal Aid Committee undertook a comparative study to review access to legal aid in civil, administrative and family justice systems. The project originated from a very successful Legal Aid Roundtable in conjunction with the IBA Mid-Year Conference in May 2017 in Belfast.

For Phase 1 of the project, the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law was commissioned to prepare the consultation document, taking into consideration the findings of the Legal Aid Roundtable.

The IBA then managed the consultation process and sought responses from both IBA members and non-members. The consultation period ran from July 2017 to January 2018. The consultation document is still available to download here.

For Phase 2 of the project, the IBA commissioned the Bingham Centre to carry out a full analysis of the consultation responses received. Our analysis was completed in March 2018.

Update: In September 2018, the IBA published the outcome report from the project: 'The Guide on Legal Aid Principles in Civil, Administrative and Family Justice Systems and its Commentary'

BIICL has been making an influential impact since its foundation in 1958, and it can trace its history even further back to 1894. It is one of the very few independent legal bodies of its type in the world, as it is unaffiliated to any university, is a charity/not-for-profit organisation and is nonpartisan. BIICL receives no substantial on-going core funding from any government or private body and welcomes both members and non-members.