Government?s Legal Aid department will soon be hiring a second attorney to help meet the demand for financial assistance in the courts.

And lawyer Elizabeth Christopher urged her colleagues to take on legal aid cases to ease the burden on attorneys who regularly accept them.

?I think lawyers have a stewardship in making sure the wheels of justice run more smoothly and I think lawyers in Bermuda should do more to participate in the legal aid system,? said Ms Christopher.

?The Bermuda Bar Council needs to make a better effort to encourage people to do all aspects of legal aid work,? she added.

?So few lawyers here want to serve people who are entitled to legal aid, they want to go after the big bucks with the exempt companies and the like.?

Senior Legal Aid Counsel Susan Moore-Williams is responsible for ensuring that those who need legal aid have their needs met.

She said fee increases under amendments to the Legal Aid Act have encouraged more lawyers to take on legal aid work.

Lawyers used to be billed at $100 an hour for legal aid work, but the 2003 amendments increased the rate to up to $220 per hour.

David Kessaram, president of the Bermuda Bar Council, said there are currently 300 attorneys on the Island out of which only a dozen or more practice legal aid work.

?I think the recent raise in the fees has encouraged people to add their names to the list,? said Mr. Kessaram.

Ms Christopher said legal aid cases can help fledgling young lawyers establish their own independent careers. She herself began working at firm Lord, Simmons & Walker in a number of legal aid cases as a young associate.

Legal aid has been in existence in Bermuda since 1980 and is governed by the Legal Aid Act 1980 which was recently amended by the Legal Aid Amendment Act 2003.

The Legal Aid Office is a Government Department which provides legal services in the area of advice and representation to persons who qualify.

All applicants are interviewed by the Senior Legal Aid Counsel and are required to fill out an application form which requests information about your household income, rent or mortgage, and assets paid

A detained person must be informed of their right to obtain legal aid.

In criminal cases legal aid allows for the provision of legal aid upon arrest and prior to charges.

Changes the terms governing an applicant?s payment of contribution.

Permits the recovery of legal fees in relation to matrimonial property matters.