Access to Justice in the UK: Why Are Child Support Agency/Child Maintenance Service Cases Not Being Taken On By Public Law Firms?
Why Solicitors Avoid CSA/CMS Cases (Legal Barriers Explained) Introduction The question of access to justice is often framed in abstract terms—funding, legal aid, or court delays. But in practice, it comes down to something much simpler: Who can actually get legal representation—and who cannot? In the UK, law firms have demonstrated the ability to pursue complex, high-risk, and politically sensitive litigation. Yet at the same time, many Paying Parents who allege serious harm by the Child Support Agency (CSA) and its successor, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), report that they are unable to secure legal representation at all. This raises a fundamental question: Is access to justice being applied consistently? Iraq Litigation and Legal Capacity Law firms such as Leigh Day were involved in representing claimants in litigation arising from the Iraq War, including claims against the Ministry of Defence . One of the most significant of these cases led to the Al-Sweady Inquiry . T...