how/can I change solictors once legal aid forms have been sent?

[FarOverTheRainbow]

To keep it short. Me and XP split almost 6m ago. we have 1 DD togethee who is 15m old. I have had to stop contact between them and me and DD are living in a refuge. he haa made an application to the courts for joint resident. because of domesric violence I get legal aid but mt solicitor is horrendous and even though I signed the forms in december she only sent forms off days before our first court date and thwn refused to come to.court with me and I had to face him hos solicitor and barrister in a court room alone. shes now told me not to contact her again until my legal aod is through.

I need to find another solicitor. I have no faith in this women. my support worker has said its reallt difficult to change and ive been to see cab but couldnt get in so I thought I would turn to the wise world of MN again.

please can anyone help?

Phone the Court and ask them how to do it. Haven't got any experience of family courts but in criminal courts it's very easy

bump

Have you managed to call the Court? Alternatively, there is a list of family law solicitors here. I'd give one of them a call

find another solicitor asap. They will know how to transfer it. Worse case they can reapply for you. Have you been granted an emergency aid certificate?

I was in the same situation. I was granted an emergency cert and this meant I was converted in Courty quickly. I had to pay it back as I didn't qualify in the end ( due to student loans). But I had representation in Court when I needed it.

You can certainly transfer to another solicitor. It will take a few weeks for the cert to be transferred over. The reason your solicitor didn't represent you in court is that the certificate either didn't cover attending or hasn't yet been issued, but of course it shouldn't have been left sitting in the office!

thank you for the replies

ill phone another solictor in the morning and hopefully get a new one sorted

I've never heard of an emergency certficate?

An emergency cert is usually issued for something like an injunction or emergency residence order. It is a very short term stopgap.

oh okay so I wouldnt be able to get an emergency certificate for a solicitor to come to court with me?

Yes you can. Emergency certificates are granted by the solicitor using "delegated functions". They are used when a hearing is imminent. The only reason your solicitor may not have granted you an emergency cert is if they are unsure you'll qualify financially.

thank you collaborate im going to phone a few this morning

I phoned legal aid and as she filled the forms km wrong they've returned them to her so I can just find another solicitor and get them to make an application. she never sent the form off weeks ago like she said either, the women told me theu received the forms less then 2 weeks ago