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Chapter three opens by focussing upon debates on ethics and values with a particular focus on debates on the public service ethos and whether this is being undermined by public service modernisation agendas. This sets the context for the discussion of Law Centres’ own distinctive ethos and professional values, drawing upon original research into the views and experiences of staff and volunteers in Law Centres in England. Law Centres were highly committed to the values associated with access to justice for all, regardless of the ability to pay and/ or other social disadvantages. In addition, they were strongly committed to working with disadvantaged communities to promote human rights and social justice agendas more widely, with an emphasis upon working holistically, collaboratively and in preventative ways to achieve these aims. These goals were potentially challenging to achieve at the best of times, let alone in the current context. On the contrary, government policies were being geared towards the promotion of competition and the increasing use of market mechanisms more generally.

The Introduction outlines the challenges that are being posed by public service modernisation agendas. There have been major impacts on the welfare state and democratic values in general. And there have been particularly significant impacts on people's access to justice in disadvantaged communities, more specifically. The history of changes to the provision of legal aid, from the post war period until the present, illustrates these challenges and the dilemmas that they pose for public service professionals such as those working in community Law Centres. The Introduction concludes by outlining the content of the chapters that follow.

Chapter one outlines the history of varying approaches to social citizenship and the welfare state, exploring the different perspectives that underpin these debates. This sets the context for critically exploring more recent debates on public service modernisation and the increasing use of market mechanisms in public service provision. Some individuals may benefit from increasing choice as a result of these policies. But others may have less choice as a result, and this especially applies to people living in less advantaged communities. Public service modernisation agendas can have significant impacts on public service professionals too, posing professional dilemmas, potentially undermining the public service ethos in the process.

Chapter five draws upon the research findings to examine the effects of changes to the provision of legal aid. There were increased pressures on management and accountability systems for instance. Law Centres had been characterised by collective ways of working in many cases, with a strong focus upon accountability downwards to the communities that they served. But it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain these types of approaches, whilst meeting the requirements of the Legal Services Commission, including the performance targets involved. There were pressures on the pay and working conditions of Law Centre staff in the context of these financial constraints. And there were pressures towards deskilling, as the Legal Services Commission encouraged the use of cheaper, less skilled labour, to reduce costs and so keep within budget. One of the most challenging dilemmas related to the potential pressure to start charging clients for some services. For some Law Centre staff and volunteers this was becoming a pragmatic necessity, in order to keep services going at all. For others, though, such a development would represent a fundamental betrayal of Law Centres’ ethos and values.