Sarah Clarke Published: 17th July 2013 With legal aid for JR under threat , practitioners may want to consider alternatives. Ombudsman decisions themselves are amenable to JR. Representations to the Ombudsman are free , claimants don’t need a lawyer – and in a landscape in which the government appears only to be prepared to fund legal advice for itself , that’s of increasing significance. Although there are some disadvantages to using the Ombudsman , there are also advantages , both are considered in this paper. JR Vs Ombudsman