The LSC has announced that all non-family legal aid contracts and family mediation contracts will start on 15 November 2010. It also announced that all current ‘family only’ and ‘family with housing’ contracts will be extended until 15 December 2010. The quashing order issued two weeks ago by the High Court means that the LSC cannot proceed with awarding these contracts to providers who were successful in the recent tender.

The LSC is still waiting for the written judgment of the Law Society’s judicial review. In the meantime, it has said that it will meet representative bodies over the next fortnight to discuss longer-term options for ‘family only’ and ‘family with housing’ contracts.

LSC chief executive Carolyn Downs said: ‘Our overwhelming priority is to give providers and, above all, legal aid clients certainty that access to justice will be maintained. We also want to continue to encourage dialogue with representative bodies to minimise any disruption.’