Civil news: next steps for CCMS
Legal Aid Agency (LAA) issues contract notice mandating the use of the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS).
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has sent, by post, all civil legal aid contract organisations a contract notice informing them of the dates from when they must use the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) for all new civil casework.
Following discussions with representative bodies, we are providing a longer lead-in time of 8 months (instead of the minimum 3 months). The use of CCMS will be mandatory from 1 October 2015. This will give legal aid organisations time to do the training, become familiar with the system and increase their CCMS caseload on a voluntary basis.
Providers who are already using the system tell us that preparation and training have been vital to them using CCMS effectively. So please visit the CCMS website to find out about the support we offer – link below.
We have also produced a CCMS desk aid on the support available to you which you may want to print out – link below.
Are you your firm’s Legal Aid Contract Liaison Manager?
If you are, you should receive the formal contract notice in the post this week. If you don’t receive the notice by 30 January 2015, please tell us immediately so we can resend this to you.
If you don’t understand any part of the contract notice, please contact your contract manager.