Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
A new report reveals a sharp rise in the cost of practising law is crunching down on the already-strained legal aid system.
There are concerns it could result in even more people being left without representation in court. Figures from KPMG, commissioned by the Law Society, show the cost of practising law has gone up by 15.3% each year, for the last three years alone. Overhead costs for legal aid providers are now 39.8% higher than for non-legal aid providers.
Law Society president Frazer Barton says it's making it more difficult to retain staff, which could result in even more people being forced to represent themselves in court.
Frazer Barton speaks with Kathryn Ryan.
