The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is seeking feedback on criteria for approving inquest training courses. This follows the LAA's announcement on July 28, 2026, of its intention to procure a new Inquests Category of Law.
One requirement for this new category will be the employment of a part-time equivalent supervisor who meets a legal competence standard. This standard can be met through experience in inquest cases or by attending an LAA-approved training course.
The LAA has published a draft list of criteria and a short survey to gather views on these criteria, including their deliverability. Feedback is invited from providers, course providers, representative bodies, and other interested parties.
This development is in response to the Government's introduction of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, also known as the Hillsborough Law. This Bill aims to introduce non-means tested legal help and legally aided advocacy at inquests where a public authority is an interested person.