Legal aid pays top lawyers over $30m

The Legal Services Board has made more than $30 million in legal aid payments to just 100 companies or lawyers in the past year, figures released yesterday show.

The board's top 100 legal aid recipients' list was headed by Hamilton law firm Till Henderson King, which received $1.12 million in the year to the end of June.

A partner for North Island legal firm Thomas Sutcliffe said the figures needed to be put in perspective. Expenses paid out by lawyers working on a case went to cover other costs besides lawyers' fees.

"Disbursements on some files can be substantial and on occasions may even exceed the legal fees. This is especially so in criminal trials involving the use of various forensic experts," Mr Sutcliffe said.

Many firms were moving away from uneconomic legal aid work, unlike his partners, he said.

The board did not provide a figure for the total paid out in legal aid for the year and said the top 100 list was unaudited.

Making cash

Figures released by the board show the top 10 legal aid recipients were:

Till Henderson King $1,122,000

Rangitauira and Co $974,257

Rainey Collins $922,581

Russell McVeagh $768,003

G J King $699,899

Govett Quilliam $626,464

Thomson Wilson Solicitors $624,351

Charl Hirschfeld, Barrister $609,147

McCaw Lewis Chapman $563,097

Rice Craig $507,397


- NZPA