Dear All,

I have a client who instructed my firm post-conviction/sentence on Appeal. In March of this year, the Court of Appeal quashed conviction and ordered a retrial. The client naturally wants Counsel who dealt with the appeal and my firm to represent him at Trial.

The Legal Aid Order is dated post 1^st of April and therefore we have obviously found difficulty in arranging for Counsel to attend court.

At the PTPH, I sent one of my colleagues to assist the client and the court and the case has gone off for Trial. The judge was extremely grateful for our assistance and very understanding of the current position.

Yesterday, we received a call from our contract manager, whom I have to say, is one of the more difficult contract managers that we have ever had, and her agenda seems to be to make life as difficult as possible for those firms allocated to her. She indicated that the client cannot be represented at Trial and therefore if we cannot instruct Counsel due to the current action she will have to arrange representation by the PDS.

In reality, is the LAA Agenda to arrange for an expansion of the PDS in light of the current ongoing action?

Any advice/thoughts as to how to deal with the contract managers approach would be most welcome.

Regards,

Ashley Smith