The Law Society of England and Wales has issued a response to the government’s Levelling Up whitepaper, which was unveiled by Michael Gove last week.
“The government will struggle to achieve its levelling up mission without a properly funded justice system”, said the Law Society in a press statement last week.
It noted that the legal services sector plays a central role in supporting the private sector across all regions of the UK by providing the vital legal advice that businesses small and large need on a day-to-day basis.
Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce commented:
“Legal services are the hidden wiring that makes local economies tick, and the key to unlocking the potential of businesses in all parts of the country.
As a sector that employs 1% of the UK workforce, contributes £60 billion to the economy and provides services on which business in all sectors rely, legal services have an integral role in making levelling up a success.”
The Law Society called on the government to nurture the legal sector, particularly the court system; the infrastructure on which the sector relies.
I. Stephanie Boyce commented:
“Legal services provide good quality, professional jobs to local areas, allowing people to build rewarding careers in the places they grew up.
A successful levelling up strategy should seek to leverage the power of the legal services sector to drive growth by investing in the infrastructure our sector relies on – most notably the courts.
Courts not only provide a space for legal resolution, they also act as hubs of legal activity, drawing law firms to the area, bringing with them jobs and investment.”
The Law Society added its support for government plans to improve broadband and acknowledged the positive impact this would have on the sector.
“We are pleased the government is supporting improved broadband as this is essential to services such as online court processes and remote hearings, supporting modern dispute resolution for local communities.
The government can also unlock the potential of small and medium sized firms that form the bedrock of local economies by funding a grant scheme for the adoption of productivity-boosting LawTech.”
I. Stephanie Boyce added:
“Legal services provide vital assistance to ordinary people facing troublesome issues across the country, yet large swathes of the country do not have a single housing legal aid provider.
Essential funding for the sector can help legal services play an even larger role in levelling up.”
