Legal aid client management and cost system branded "not fit for purpose"

The Legal Aid Agency has been accused of being in denial about severe glitches in its client management and cost system (CCMS).

The system, which manages payments for legal aid lawyers, has been piloted over the last two years and will become mandatory in October. As reported by the New Law Journal and Legal Voice, the Association of Costs Lawyers has taken part in the pilot and claimed that there could be disastrous consequences for legal aid firms if glitches causing severely delayed payments are not fixed.

The Association of Costs Lawyers stated: "[CCMS] deteriorates existing business processes…[with] poorly implemented functionality, while some required functionality has been missed completely."

The family law organisation Resolution also took part in the pilot and agreed with the criticisms, stating: "CCMS is not fit for purpose and will cause serious problems for practitioners if made mandatory in October in its present condition."