Wednesday 17 April 2013 Legal Aid Consultation Criminal Law & Justice Weekly, p237 The introduction of price-competitive tendering for legal aid contracts is “unsustainable” and “wrong according to Law Society president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff. The Ministry of Justice’s Transforming Legal Aid consultation is seeking views on the introduction of price-competitive tendering, reports the legal weekly. The Law Society has launched its own consultation, seeking practitioners’ views on alternatives to such a model, which closes on May 10. The Law Society’s consultation is on the website. Lexcel Wiltshire Times, p40, Surrey Advertiser, p14, This Is Wiltshire Lucy Scott-Moncrieff tells the Wiltshire paper ‘gaining and maintaining Lexcel is no mean feat.’ The Wiltshire Times and a local website reported local law firm Pinniger, Finch & Co recently gained Lexcel accreditation. Elsewhere, the Surrey Advertiser reports Guildford firm Hart Brown has also been accredited. Read more here. CQS Cumbria24 Further coverage of firms around the country that are now members of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Cumbria24 Catherine Reed, Press Officer – Ext 4678 – catherine.reed@lawsociety.org.uk Clare Wills, Press Officer – Ext 4667 – clare.wills@lawsociety.org.uk Emma Alatalo, Assistant Press Officer – Ext 4760 – emma.alatalo@lawsociety.org.uk Rebecca Kiernan, Assistant Press Officer – Ext 4241- rebecca.kiernan@lawsociety.org.uk