Create a solicitor or barrister's legal aid account or log in to LAMS

Barristers and solicitors are no longer able to make paper applications or payment requests for legal aid. Legal Services Agency NI only accepts online applications and requests through an nidirect account.

Before you start

You must create an account for legal aid.

To access legal aid, you need to:

create an nidirect account
create a digital account on LAMS

You can’t create a LAMS account without an nidirect account.

Creating an nidirect account

Barristers and solicitors use a different process to create their nidirect account.

Barristers

The Bar Library will help you create an nidirect account. When your nidirect account is active, log in and create your digital account on LAMS.

Solicitors

You need to create an nidirect account and have your identity verified. To learn more about creating an nidirect account you need to read the information on identity assurance.

When your identity is verified, log in and create your digital account on LAMS.

Creating a LAMS account

You must log in to your nidirect account before you can create your LAMS account.

Barristers

To create your LAMS account, you’ll need:

the email address and password you used to create your nidirect account
your barrister ID
a digital copy of your current practising certificate
a digital copy of your VAT certificate (if you’re registered for VAT)
a self-billing agreement (if you do self-billing)
your existing LSA counsel account number

Solicitors

To create your LAMs account online, you’ll need:

the email address and password you used to create your nidirect account
a digital copy of your most recent practising certificate

Using a barrister's LAMS account

You must log in to your nidirect account and enter your personal identification number (PIN) to see cases and requests or to send new applications or requests for legal aid.

Using a solicitor's LAMS account

To use LAMS, you must be attached to the business by the business account administrator. To get attached to your business, you must provide:

your supplier reference number

You must log in to your nidirect account and enter your personal identification number (PIN) to see cases and requests or to send new applications or requests for legal aid.

Create a solicitor or barrister's legal aid account or log in to LAMS

Additional information

For more information about legal aid services online, go to:

Digitisation of legal aid

To find out how Legal Services Agency NI handles any personal information you send them, read their privacy notice:

Legal Services Agency NI

Accessibility statement

To find out how accessible the nidirect rates payment service is and what is being done to improve accessibility, see accessibility statement on legal aid management system.

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

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Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme, email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

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For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about 60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly. We don't have access to information about you.

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Create a solicitor or barrister's legal aid account or log in to LAMS

Before you start

Creating an nidirect account

Barristers

Solicitors

Creating a LAMS account

Barristers

Solicitors

Using a barrister's LAMS account

Using a solicitor's LAMS account

Additional information

Accessibility statement

Help improve this page - send your feedback

Messages

What to do next

Carer's Allowance

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Disability Living Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Personal Independence Payment