What are the alternatives to legal aid?

• Lawyers retained by your union, or professional body of which you are a member.
• Lawyers paid by 'before the event' legal expenses insurance.
• Lawyers who offer you a 'no win, no fee' agreement. This is usually backed up with an insurance policy to protect you against liability for your opponent's legal costs (and sometimes your own legal expenses) if you lose your claim. The government is consulting to carry out an extensive review of no-win-no-fee agreements, which is likely to introduce significant changes in the way these agreements operate. Unions fear these changes may make it far more difficult for workers to bring personal injury claims in the future.
• Alternatively, you may enter into a loan agreement to pay for legal out-of-pocket expenses, such as experts' fees.