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The Authority was established on 1 July 2011 under the Legal Services Act 2011. The Authority forms part of the quality framework to improve the quality of services provided by legal aid providers.
The purpose of the Act is to promote access to justice by establishing a system that effectively and efficiently provides legal services to people of insufficient means.
The Act establishes the Authority with powers to review decisions about legal aid provider approvals.
The function of the Authority is to review decisions of the Secretary for Justice. It conducts reviews based on written submissions or ‘on the papers’.
Ministry of Justice staff at the Tribunals Unit provide administrative and case management support to the Authority.
The Authority is governed by the following legislation: