This Order may be cited as the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

Subject to paragraph (3), this Order shall come into operation on the seventh day after the day on which it is made.

F1Paragraph 1( b) of Part I of Schedule 1 shall come into operation on such day as theF2 Lord Chancellor may by order appoint.

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 [1954 c.33] shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

For the purposes of section 42(2) of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 [1973 c.36] (validity of Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland), provisions of this Order which re-enact provisions of an Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland shall be deemed to be provisions of such an Act.

References in this Order to counsel and solicitors shall be construed in accordance with Article 10 of the European Communities (Services of Lawyers) Order 1978 [SI 1978/1910] F4, as it has effect by virtue of regulation 5 of the Services of Lawyers and Lawyer’s Practice (Revocation etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.

In this Order—

• “the Department” means the Department of Justice;

• “the Director” means the Director of Legal Aid Casework designated under section 2 of the Legal Aid and Coroners' Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.