26 Jan THE BIRMINGHAM PUB BOMBINGS 1974: PROGRESS MADE IN LEGAL AID FUNDING
KRW LAW LLP has been proud and honoured to represent nine families of victims of the Birmingham Pub Bombings 1974. Our work together has secured resumed inquests. This is the last opportunity for those we represent to access truth, justice and accountability about the loss of their loved ones. Our clients want to be able to effectively participate in the resumed inquest process and to assist the Coroner in his independent investigation. For this to be achieved they require the support of their legal team, KRW LAW LLP in Belfast.
To date public funding for legal representation of our clients has been in dispute because KRW LAW LLP is registered to practice in Northern Ireland. Despite protracted negotiations with the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency for England and Wales until now funding was in doubt.
The block to funding now appears to have been removed: the Ministry of Justice is to amend the legal aid regulations to enable the Legal Aid Agency to offer a contract for legal representation at inquests to a firm of solicitors not registered in England and Wales. This will enable us to make a new application for legal aid and the decision on this application will be expedited by the Director of the LAA which, we hope, will ensure that our clients – the relatives of the victims – KRW LAW LLP and our counsel, will be able to take an effective part in both the forthcoming continuing hearings and the substantive inquest which are timetabled for later this year.
We have not yet seen the amended regulations but we have been assured by the MOJ and the LAA that the reforms are as being reported. This is a positive development for our clients who have continued to insist in being represented by KRW LAW LLP. Their perseverance and commitment has turned the rhetoric of the politicians into reality and we welcome this development.
Contact Christopher Stanley @ KRW LAW LLP (00 44 797 0519831) or 02890241888.