SCHEDULE 3Legal aid for legal persons
Advice and assistance for criminal proceedings
4
(1)
Regulations may provide that prescribed advice and assistance is to be available under this Part to a legal person described in sub-paragraph (2) if—
(a)
prescribed conditions are met,
(b)
the Director has made an exceptional case determination in relation to the person and the advice and assistance (and has not withdrawn that determination), and
(c)
the Director has determined that the legal person qualifies for such advice and assistance in accordance with the regulations (and has not withdrawn that determination).
(2)
Those legal persons are—
(a)
legal persons who are involved in investigations which may lead to criminal proceedings, and
(b)
legal persons who are before a court, tribunal or other person in criminal proceedings.
(3)
Subsections (3) to (9) of section 15 apply in relation to regulations under this paragraph (and decisions made under such regulations) as they apply in relation to regulations under that section (and decisions made under such regulations).
(4)
In those subsections as applied by this paragraph, references to an individual include a legal person.
(5)
In this paragraph “assistance” includes, in particular, assistance in the form of advocacy.