Fifteen per cent pay rise for criminal barristers
Criminal barristers and solicitors will see a 15 per cent rise in their fees as part of a £135 million investment in the criminal legal aid system.
The increase will see a typical criminal barrister earn £7,000 more a year while criminal solicitors will see their payments rise across a range of their work, including that undertaken in police stations, magistrates’ courts and youth courts.
The legislation has been fast-tracked so legal professionals can see the pay rise before the end of the year with the new fees introduced at the end of September.
Justice Minister Sarah Dines said: “We are creating a sustainable legal aid system that is fit for the future and the typical criminal barrister will get a generous pay rise of £7,000 following a 15 percent fee increase.
“The £135 million extra investment in legal aid will also help ensure that solicitors and other legal professionals are better paid for the important work they do to ensure victims get timely justice.”
The Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid found that, before expenses, the median fee of a criminal barrister in 2019-20 was £79,800 and that 80 per cent earn at least £45,000 after expenses. While junior barristers earn much less in their first couple of years of practice, by their third year of practice the average criminal barrister will earn £65,000 before expenses.
