Hi, wonder if anyone has experience of changing solicitors whilst on Legal Aid? How hard/easy is it to change when your quite a way into the divorce proceedings?

Im 12 months in and have FDR pending. I have just qualified for LA, but have been very unhappy with the bills (massive )when fee paying and the service I received. My last bill was for £1500 for an 8 week period (recd yesterday...sure they time em so that you worry all weekend) and I really dont know how shes arrived at that, or how Im going to pay it??

The two times Ive had to go to court shes been on hol and sent another sol who Ive never met before...the one that represented me on my FA I dont even think had read my file...he was more concerned with chattin to other sols at court about his daughters GCSE results.
Just wondered if anyone had changed sol at this late stage? Is a case of better the devil you know?

Only thing about changing sols whilst your on legal aid , is the legal aid board look at your merits and can decide it's not in their interest to publicly fund you anymore so can revoke the certificate.Can you ask maybe about transfering to another sol within the same practise ?

Thanks for such a quick reply Angel, I had a feeling it wouldnt be as simple as just swopping. Its took 12 months to get to the public funding stage and I am reluctant to rock the boat, if they withdrew funding now I couldnt go on fee paying. No other person in practice unfortunately, but it was a good suggestion

You could maybe have a chat with another legal aid sol in another firm see what they have got to say , suppose it depends what the settlement is worth in my case there was no house etc...it was only going to be SM and his pension just by having a chat with them does'nt mean you have to use them.