Last weeks Gazette, post strike delayed, arrives with this somewhat gloomy article on the move into the new standard fee regime.
By coincidence this comes as I put the finishing touches to next weeks course .
By further coincidence 2 minutes before I read this quote

“Many of the best local firms have already abandoned legal aid because it is no longer economically viable and I am sure that many more will follow suit”

from the above article, I receive notice from another client firm to say exactly that.
No its not spooky it is entirely predictable.

The anticipated response from the Law Society regarding the new GCC has been posted to their site.
Key bit of advice seems to be:

We will provide information as soon as possible on the legal, economic and regulatory issues, and no later than Friday 12 October. You may feel it prudent to defer your decision on accepting the contract until you have this information.

HAT TIP
Nigel

Marcel Berlins comments yesterday on “The hidden cost of cutting the Legal Aid bill” have elicited this response from veteran MP Austin Mitchell.
Neither seems entirely satisfactory to me. Join in the debate here or direct at the Guardian.

The October changes to the CDS contract, PACE fixed fees, VHCC Panel etc. are being put back by a fortnight to October 15th.
Is this the first or the final slippage to the timetable?

As you can seen below the last couple of days we have returned to the subject of the VHCC auction process.
I was greatly amused by this gem in a letter from John Williams (Bankside Law) in today’s Gazette, regarding one of the answers in the Q & A document -

“The rather unexpected answer is worthy of the bartering scene in the ‘Life of Brian’…”

Unfortunately I cannot find a Youtube clip to post.
The likely LSC response – “Cwucifixion”
UPDATE
I have just noticed that this post, by chance, is number, yes you’ve guessed it……666. Spooky!

When is a 12 Noon VHCC application deadline not a 12 Noon deadline?
Obviously when, retrospectively, it is a 5.30pm deadline.
Why did that happen then? And which item from the title is which?
PS If you delivered between these two times, have a signed chit and left your “late” application with the LSC you have a get out of jail free card.

Returning like a bad penny (or smell if you prefer) further VHCC news in the form of a limited extension to the deadline. Unsurprisingly it is in very limited circumstances and primarily with regard to Counsel, failure to sign declaration etc.
If you do wish to revisit your application either to add an omitted advocate or one who you left out through a misunderstanding of the qualifying cases criteria. The detail can be found here.

As you can quickly establish this weeks posts have been unashamedly, but obviously monotonously for non-bidders, almost entirely about the VHCC Auction.
The phone traffic in this office has been unbelievable and bidders experience unprintable. Confidentiality precludes me divulging little more than the following paraphrase from a client’s account of a recent phone conversation with the VHCC Team. I would like to canvass bidders to respond in the comments box.
“Well I designed it and it and I think it is a pretty easy application to complete”
Given that one of today’s callers suggested that the creator “should be shot” we will not divulge his identity.

When our VHCC Call Centre closes down, turns off its lights, pulls down the shutters and is put in mothballs until the next, similar ill-conceived act of madness, I might write up my thoughts on this
Until then one urgent point and something to drive you mad.
1 Bid question EC8 must be completed in the NEGATIVE.
2 Apparently, and after the closure of the Q & A process, they have indicated that ring-binders constitute “hard bound copies”. I will put up the confirmatory e-mail when I get a copy.