Scottish Legal Aid Board reveals top 20 highest paid advocates and firms

The Scottish Legal Aid Board has published a list of the 20 advocates paid the most in legal aid fees.

Mhairi Richards QC tops the table with fees of £505,000, followed by Gordon Jackson QC and Donald Findlay QC.

The total paid out to advocates from the legal aid budget rose considerably in 2016/17 to more than £15 million, compared to last year’s £14.5m.

Livingstone Brown Solicitors remained the top legal aid firm for the third year running after earning £1.92 million in fees, returning to 2014/15 levels after a dip in earnings last year.

Martin, Johnston & Socha Ltd Solicitors also held its place, coming second again with a steady increase in fees to £1.77m.

Adams Whyte Solicitors took third position again, with fees of £1.49m.

Latta & Co Solicitors, however, has risen three places to fourth in this year’s table, taking in fees of £1.39m, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year’s fees, the biggest of any firm in the top 20.

The total paid out to firms in Scotland slipped by £2.2m to £105.14m.