12 United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems Principle 13. Competence and accountability of legal aid providers 37. States should put in place mechanisms to ensure that all legal aid providers possess education, training, skills and experience that are com‑ mensurate with the nature of their work, including the gravity of the offences dealt with, and the rights and needs of women, children and groups with special needs. 38. Disciplinary complaints against legal aid providers should be promptly investigated and adjudicated in accordance with professional codes of ethics before an impartial body and subject to judicial review. Principle 14. Partnerships 39. States should recognize and encourage the contribution of lawyers’ associations, universities, civil society and other groups and institutions in providing legal aid. 40. Where appropriate, public‑private and other forms of partnership should be established to extend the reach of legal aid. C. Guidelines Guideline 1. Provision of legal aid 41. Whenever States apply a means test to determine eligibility for legal aid, they should ensure that: (a) Persons whose means exceed the limits of the means test but who cannot afford, or do not have access to, a lawyer in situations where legal aid would have otherwise been granted and where it is in the interests of justice to provide such aid, are not excluded from receiving assistance; (b) The criteria for applying the means test are widely publicized; (c) Persons urgently requiring legal aid at police stations, detention centres or courts should be provided preliminary legal aid while their eligibility is being determined. Children are always exempted from the means test; (d) Persons who are denied legal aid on the basis of the means test have the right to appeal that decision;