The Bar Council responds to the speech by Lord Justice Jackson, the case for a CLAF:

Chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC said: "The Bar Council has supported the development of a contingent legal aid fund (CLAF) for many years. The civil justice system is currently facing multiple challenges with the result that access to justice for many has become restricted. Lord Justice Jackson's suggestion that the concept of a CLAF should be re-visited is therefore timely. 

"As experience from overseas has shown, a contingent legal aid fund may provide an additional source of funding the civil justice system and thereby help to address some of the problems many people face about access to justice today. Clearly the viability of a CLAF, and its scope, need to be considered very carefully in the current context including the Civil Courts Structure Review which is being led by Lord Justice Briggs.   

"We have already opened discussions with CILEx and the Law Society to set up joint working party to examine the establishment of a CLAF for which Lord Justice Jackson has called."