" The Senior partners of a number of leading London Criminal Law firms held a crisis meeting last night to discuss the ongoing breakdown of the criminal justice system following years of underinvestment.

They agreed that unless the government immediately followed the recommendations of Lord Bellamy's report and invested as recommended solicitors may be forced to take similar action to the bar leaving the Magistrates Court which deals with the majority of criminal cases without lawyers for many cases.

Without urgent investment it may not be economically viable for many firms to sign the new legal aid contract  creating advice deserts and further delays in justice for victims"