A government commitment to increase legal aid fees for criminal barristers has still not been implemented five months after being announced in December 2025
However, Criminal Bar Association (CBA) chair Riel Karmy-Jones KC said this week she has been told arrangements are ‘at an advanced stage’.
Last week, the Bar Council and CBA urged justice ministers to keep their promise to raise fees by up to £34m per year and match fund criminal law pupillages, in order to address shortages at the criminal Bar.
Karmy-Jones blogged this week she understands the pupillage scheme will be rolled out in September with the first intake in 2028.
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