Barristers and solicitors held a public protest outside Leicester Crown Court today in support of the Save the Criminal Justice Campaign.
Campaigners are concerned about the Ministry of Justice's proposed changes to legal aid to save £220 million.
Leicester was the first stop of a national tour of courts and other institutions.
Former Leicestershire Law Society president and solicitor Helen Johnson said: "The government plan to introduce changes to criminal legal aid which will remove client choice and radically affect access to justice in Leicestershire."
She said many local practitioners would go out of business with vast amounts of support staff being made redundant.
"Criminal defence lawyers work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, representing people from all walks of life," she said. "Justice Minister Chris Grayling's proposals will remove client choice and restrict access to justice.
"It's not about the headline cases.
"We help people every day who find themselves unwittingly involved in the criminal justice system.
"Our system is the envy of the world and these proposals will see the destruction of it.
"The rights of local people to choose local practitioners to represent them will disappear, along with local knowledge and long established businesses trusted throughout Leicestershire and Rutland."
You can follow the progress of the banner and protest on Twitter at: @justicebanner
To sign the campaign's e-petition, visit: www.saveukjustice.net How the changes could affect you
Helen Johnson, of Emery Johnson Solicitors said: "You may think the Ministry of Justice proposals affecting legal aid don't affect you, but here are some examples of when you might need the help of a criminal defence lawyer." 1. You live in an isolated area and your property is burgled. You arm yourself with a weapon and the burglar suffers injuries. You are arrested on suspicion of assault. 2. You are driving home and the children are arguing in the back of the car. One of them throws something at the other, who screams. You turn around momentarily to tell them off.
When you look back the traffic in front of you has come to a halt. You brake but can't avoid going in to the back of the car in front.
The passenger in the car in front is killed. You are arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. 3. There are a number of youths outside your home address being noisy and disruptive. You go out to have a word with them and tell them to move on. They are abusive to you and one of them comes up to you in a threatening manner so you push him away and go back in side.
The next day you are arrested on suspicion of assaulting the youth who is 14 years of age. 4. Your 18-year-old son goes to visit a new college friend at his house. Whilst the police attend and search the premises, drugs are recovered.
Your son is arrested along with everyone else in the house. 5. Your 14-year-old year daughter and her friend are accused of bullying another girl and putting information about her on the social networking website, Facebook.
The police want her to attend the police station for a voluntary interview.
Miss Johnson said: "The government's proposals mean that unless you can afford to pay for a solicitor you would not have any choice in who came to the police station to represent you.
"Local firms that may have been recommended to you by someone you know are unlikely to still be doing this work."
