CRIMINAL solicitors will be urged to join Unite in a “groundbreaking agreement” with two leading legal associations.

The Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association (CLSA) and the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association (LCCSA) today announced their agreement with Unite at the opening of the CLSA annual conference.

It marks the first time that two criminal solicitors’ associations have called on lawyers to join the union.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a groundbreaking agreement which marks a turning point for solicitors. 

“Whether it’s increasing workloads, stagnating pay or recruitment and retention issues there has never been a better time for solicitors to be a part of Unite.”

She said Unite was looking forward to working with the associations to improve the jobs, pay and conditions of all solicitors and “campaigning for vital changes in our legal sector.”

Fadi Daoud, president of the LCCSA and Daniel Bonich, chair of the CLSA, said in a joint statement: “The criminal justice system in this country is in a dire state.

“Solicitors specialising in criminal defence are beleaguered and exiting the profession at record rates. We cannot go on like this. 

“For this reason, the committees of the LCCSA and CLSA have agreed to encourage members to join Unite and so put solicitors on the front foot by improving our bargaining position with the government as we fight to save our broken justice system.”

Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “The future of the criminal defence profession — the backbone of our criminal justice system — is in peril.

“That’s why we are challenging the government’s decision not to increase criminal legal aid rates as recommended by its independent review in court.

“We will continue to fight for the future of this crucial but endangered profession, alongside the practitioner groups and individual solicitors.”