The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is committed to ensuring that clients have access to quality legal advice. Peer Review is an assessment of the competency of advice.   

Quality standards

Only organisations that hold a quality standard recognised by the LAA can undertake legal aid work.  

The LAA accepts the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM), Mediation Quality Mark (MQM), and the Lexcel Practice Management standard (Lexcel) quality standards for firms holding a legal aid contract.

Assuring quality for advocates

The development of a quality assurance scheme for advocates is being led by the regulators operating as a Joint Advocacy Group.

Information about the scheme is on the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates website.