Improving the legal aid provider experience - proposed changes to the approval process

Overview

Background

This project has been established to improve the experience that lawyers have with our approval and contracting processes for legal aid services. The intent of this work is to ensure that any improvements made will streamline, integrate and align with the rest of the legal aid system so that transactions are seamless, effective and not administratively burdensome.

This consultation relates to the application form and the guidelines for applying to be a legal aid provider. There are two documents attached for your review:

1. The application form (PDF, 2.95MB)
   
   The application forms are currently split amongst 22 PDF documents. It is proposed they are condensed to one form that is fit for purpose and relevant to all law types.
   
   Question analysis of current form v proposed (PDF, 106KB)
   
   We have also attached a question comparison for your reference. This sets out the questions from the old forms, whether they are proposed to be included in the new form and the reasoning behind this.
    
2. Guidelines for applying to be a legal aid provider (PDF, 308KB)
   
   The current documents available for applicants are fragmented, difficult to understand and do not contain essential information. The proposed guidelines will assist applicants in submitting a complete and correct application based on their level of experience.
   
   New information guide – applying to be a legal aid provider (PDF, 164KB)
   
   We have also attached a guide outlining new information for applicants and the reason why we have proposed to include this information.

Completing the questions

The questions will take roughly 15 minutes to complete.

Please review the proposed new application form and the guidelines for providers applying to be a legal aid provider. You will be asked a series of questions relating to the proposed documents, process and your overall views. All your answers are confidential and anonymous.

Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. We will collate all the feedback we receive and review your answers collectively before determining our next steps. We aim to provide you with an update in December.