Family contracts have effectively been quashed following today’s judgment in the Law Society’s successful judicial review of the family tender process.

Giving judgment this evening, the High Court declared the LSC’s failure to give advance notice of the requirement for panel membership as unlawful. It also declared the decision not to award contracts in four family categories unlawful, effectively quashing the contracts

The four categories where contracts have been quashed are: family; housing and family; children only; and child abduction. Other civil contracts will expire in November.

The court ordered the LSC to pay the Law Society’s costs, but other parties will pay their own costs.

LSC chair Sir Bill Callaghan said: ‘Our commitment has always been to ensure that vulnerable people across England and Wales have access to justice. Whatever we do will continue to be motivated by this imperative.

‘We are currently considering the detail of the judgment and its implications, including whether to appeal. We are conscious of the uncertainty facing providers and will publish further information in due course.’