To open a new legal aid Family & Care matter, complete the following steps.
- Click New Matter
- Select the Family from the matter types list, and enter your matter Description
- Click NEXT
- Enter the relevant Staff details
- Click NEXT, and assign a client
- After completing the client contact,address and date of birth, click SAVE
Note: Once these details have been initially entered, they will be available matters associated with the client
- Click on the Matter Details > Accounting, and enable the Legal Aid checkbox, then click SAVE.
- To enter the relevant legal aid details, click on the Legal Aid Details button on the Actions menu, from the Details & Correspondence tab.
- Complete the required fields and click Save & Close.
Controlled Work Matter
Ensure the matter is assigned to the correct Branch, enter the Date Opened, select the Type of Law, Procurement Area, Access Point and Case Stage Level from the drop-down menus and enter the Schedule Reference
Licensed Work Matter
Ensure the matter is assigned to the correct Branch, enter the Date opened, select the Type of law, Court/Level of judge and Client type from the drop-down menu’s.
Other fields that may be relevant to a licensed work matter are LA Order No, LA Order date, Court, Case No, Exemption criteria, ECF reference, Local Authority No and Transfer date
Family matter details
| Field | Description |
| Branch | If your firm has multiple branches, select the branch that will be responsible for this matter |
| Date Opened | Date of initial attendance/first instruction on your client. |
| UFN | Unique File Number. Made up of the date opened and 3-digit case ID.
This will uniquely identify a legal aid case (when combined with LAA office account number), DDMMYY/NNN |
| Rate | Defines if the claims will be costed at London or National hourly rates, and fixed fee |
| LA Order No | The number that appears on the representation order that grants you to undertake legal aid work on behalf of the client |
| LA Order Date | The date on the representation order that authorises you to undertake work for your client on this matter |
| Court | The court where attendance will/or has taken place |
| Case No | The case reference number allocated by the court for this matter |
| Type of Law | Used for determining fees when recording CPGFS (Care Proceedings Graduated Fee Scheme), and FAS, (Family Advocate Scheme) |
| Court/Level of Judge | The type of court, or level of judge assigned to the matter |
| Procurement Area | The procurement area which reflects the location set out in your office schedule form which work is undertaken |
| Access point | The access point which reflects the location set out in your office schedule form which work is undertaken |
| Exemption Criteria | Complete if the matter required certain criteria to be satisfied, in order to bring the matter into scope |
| ECF Reference | If exceptional case funding has been authorised, record the reference number issued.
Must be 9 characters, this will be in the format of ‘NNNNNNNAA’ |
| Case Stage Level | Relates to the category(s) of work being carried out and will be utilised in determining the fixed fee that will be awarded when invoicing controlled work |
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Code Levels
For Family Public Law
FPC01 Level 1 Public
FPC02 Level 2 Public
FPC03 Level 1 and Level 2 Public
For Family Private Law
FPL01 Level 1 Private
FPL02 Level 1 Private and Level 2 Children Fee with Settlement Fee
FPL03 Level 1 Private and Level 2 Finance with Settlement Fee
FPL04 Level 1 Private and Level 2 Children Fee
FPL05 Level 1 Private and Level 2 Finance Fee
FPL06 Level 1 Private, Level 2 Children Fee with Settlement, Level 2 Finance Fee with Settlement
FPL07 Level 1 Private, Level 2 Children Fee with Settlement, Level 2 Finance Fee with Settlement
FPL08 Level 1 Private, Level 2 Children Fee, Level 2 Finance Fee with Settlement
FPL09 Level 1 Private, Level 2 Children Fee and Level 2 Finance Fee
FPL10 Level 1 Divorce
For Cases Starting at Level 2
FPL11 Level 2 Children Settlement and Level 2 Children Fee
FPL12 Level 2 Finance Fee with Settlement
FPL13 Level 2 Children Fee
FPL14 Level 2 Finance Fee
FPL15 Level 2 Children Fee with Settlement and Level 2 Finance Fee with Settlement
FPL16 Level 2 Children Fee with Settlement and Level 2 Finance Fee
FPL17 Level 2 Children Fee, Level 2 Finance Fee with Settlement
FPL18 Level 2 Children Fee and Level 2 Finance Fee
For Help with Family Mediation
FPL19 Legal Help in support of Family Mediation
FPL20 Legal Help in support of obtaining consent order following settlement
FPL21 Legal Help with Family Mediation and Legal Help, following settlement of dispute
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| Local Authority No | his field should be completed in Care & Supervision cases where the Local Authority has provided written notice of its intention to issue proceedings.
The number recorded should be the reference number on the Local Authority correspondence. If the Local Authority has not provided a reference number, then 000 should be entered. |
| Client Type | The types of party(s), that are assigned to this matter.
P Parent (or person with parental responsibility)
C Child
J Joined party |
| Schedule Reference | The firm's civil reference number, as specified by the Legal Aid Agency, at the time that this matter was opened |
| Transfer Date | If the matter has been transferred/will be transferred to/from another firm, enter the date of transfer |
Knowledge Base
