Barristers at the Criminal Bar said yesterday they will not take on any new cases under revised legal aid rules.
Issuing a statement on behalf of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), chairman Gavan Duffy QC said its members were committed to providing the highest standard of representation to members of society who face the most serious and complex criminal cases in the Crown Court but that the cuts in fees, anywhere between 45-65%, "will inevitably dilute the quality of representation available to some of the most vulnerable members of society and to the victims of crime."
The senior barrister said the CBA took the decision "after careful deliberation and it is with deep regret that the Association has resolved that these standards cannot be achieved under these amended rules."
In the last two weeks, several solicitors' firms across the north have taken a similar stance.
The two biggest firms in Belfast, Trevor Smyth & Co and KRW Law were the first to withdraw services.
The move comes as Justice Minister David Ford seeks to impose the third round of cuts to lawyers' fees in the last ten years.
Lawyers will seek a judicial review of the reduced fees. Papers seeking leave for a review are to be lodged with the High Court in the next 48 hours.
