A leading family lawyer has warned that the new fixed fees regime for private family cases, which came into force this week, could lead to a ‘significant exodus’ of firms from family legal aid.

Christina Blacklaws, Law Society Council member for child care, said the move from hourly rates to fixed fees will see large reductions in payments.

She said: ‘For a standard injunction we would get around £950 under the current hourly rates, but under a fixed fee it would be more like £670.

'That is a reduction of nearly one third.’

Taken together with the government’s plans to remove most private cases from the scope of legal aid, Blacklaws said many firms will be concerned about their future.

‘There could be a significant exodus of solicitors no longer able to provide the quality of service that their clients need,’ she said.

Blacklaws welcomed the introduction of new advocacy payments, also brought in this week, which will harmonise the fees paid to solicitors and barristers.

‘I am delighted to have equal pay for equal work for the first time,’ said Blacklaws.

She encouraged all solicitors to do their own advocacy, saying that vulnerable clients were best represented by solicitors, who could provide continuity by representing them right through to court.

Legal aid firm consultant Vicky Ling said the impact of the new advocacy fee should balance the losses made by firms caused by the new fixed fees, unless solicitors had to travel distances to courts.

But she warned: ‘Solicitors who don’t do their own advocacy will be in for trouble.’

An LSC spokesman said: ‘Last year’s family tender was run on the basis of these new fee schemes and was heavily oversubscribed.’

He added: ‘Introducing standard fees for the majority of family work is part of our effort to ensure we have a sustainable legal aid system.’