His Honour Judge Keyser Q.C. (sitting as a Judge of the High Court) has handed down his judgment in R(Lipman) v. The Director of Legal Aid Casework [2020] EWHC 2668 (Admin), dismissing the claimant’s challenge by way of judicial review of the Director’s calculation of the capital contribution required from the claimant towards the costs of his criminal legal aid. The Judge held that the Director’s interpretation of regulation 28(4)(b) of the Criminal Legal Aid (Contribution Orders) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/483) had been correct and that, in valuing the claimant’s real property assets, which included a substantial investment property portfolio, the Director was required to value each asset individually (rather than adopt the ‘general balance sheet’ approach for which the claimant contended).
Simon McLoughlin appeared for the successful defendant, instructed by the Government Legal Department.
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