The cyber attack at the Legal Aid Agency which has taken down many of its system has had a ‘devastating’ effect on the sector, particularly for legal aid firms who simply don’t have the cash flow or reserves to cover salaries and overheads for an extended period.
The comment come from Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner of Bristol-based Watkins Solicitors where 50% of the firm’s case load is legal aid work. Watkins, who is a member of the Legal Aid Practitioner Group (LAPG) Board and Advisory Committee, made the comments in appearances on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Bristol to raise urgent concerns about the impact of the Legal Aid Agency cyberattack on vulnerable families and individuals seeking legal support.
“This cyberattack has had a devastating effect on the sector, particularly on the cash flow of legal aid providers (and) comes on top of decades of underinvestment in legal aid. Rates have not increased for over 30 years, meaning this work is often done at below minimum wage.”
Watkins told the programme, the result is many firms are left on a ‘knife edge.’
Watkins Solicitors supports parents, carers, and children in domestic abuse cases, care proceedings, and judicial reviews involving children out of school. She added under the current restrictions, many clients cannot progress with legal aid applications because the necessary systems are offline.
“We deal with cases where children are at risk, where survivors of abuse need protection, and where urgent decisions about a child’s education or care must be made. We are acting on behalf of children and we cannot progress the cases, or in some situations, we are taking a risk on whether we will be paid at the end. But we believe the client’s need is too great to delay.”
The firm has committed to continuing to act on behalf of vulnerable clients and is actively working with professional bodies to ensure the government restores functionality and support for legal aid services as soon as possible.
“Our commitment to our clients remains unchanged. But there is no doubt that the system needs urgent investment, not only in technology, but in the long-term sustainability of legal aid itself.”
concludes Watkins.
The LAA confirmed it was subject to a cyber attack on 23rd April 2025. In May it acknowledged the breach was more serious than first thought and it has switched off much of its online infrastructure while it deals with the impact of the attack.
