Simon Davis, president of the Law Society, said: ‘Solicitors with essential roles which put them at risk of infection will welcome their inclusion in the testing programme.
‘However,
there are still significant areas for improvement. We will continue to raise
the implications COVID-19 is having on the legal profession with government and
key stakeholders to ensure all solicitors can carry out their vital work for
society as safely as possible during the current outbreak.’
Applications
for the test can be made at: https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk/eligibility.
According to
MoJ guidance, those ‘essential to the running of the justice system’ are key
workers. The MoJ has clarified that this includes advocates (including
solicitor advocates) required to appear before a court or tribunal (remotely or
in person), including prosecutors; duty solicitors; solicitors, legal
executives, barristers, paralegals and others working on imminent or ongoing hearings;
solicitors working on wills; and solicitors and barristers advising people
living in institutions or deprived of their liberty.
