Government’s justice reforms could push innocent people to plead guilty, warns regulator – Bar Standards Board

“Plans to pay legal aid lawyers the same amount for a ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ plea could lead to defendants being pressurised into pleading guilty, warns the Bar Standards Board (BSB). The BSB is responsible for regulating barristers in the public interest, upholding the rule of law and protecting consumers.”

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Bar Standards Board, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Growing amount of legal work can be “de-lawyered”, says LSB director – Legal Futures

“A growing amount of legal work could be ‘de-lawyered’ and provided by organisations that offer a wide range of legal and non-legal services, the strategy director of the Legal Services Board (LSB) has suggested.”

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lift off for Budgetary Control – New Law Journal

Posted June 4th, 2013 in budgets, case management, costs, news by sally

“HH Simon Brown QC continues his exclusive NLJ online series on costs management post-Jackson.”

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New Law Journal, 31st May 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Barristers attack legal aid plans from government – BBC News

Posted June 4th, 2013 in barristers, competition, criminal justice, legal aid, news, solicitors, tenders by sally

“Barristers have attacked plans to cut £220m from the annual criminal case legal aid budget in England and Wales.”

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BBC News, 4th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Minister tells profession to adapt to “the new circumstances” of life in the law – Legal Futures

Posted June 4th, 2013 in consultations, legal aid, legal profession, news, parliament by sally

“Solicitors and barristers will have to adjust to ‘the new circumstances’ they are facing as a result of legal aid and other reforms ‘if they are going to survive’, justice minister Lord McNally said yesterday.”

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘New law needed’ after collapse of care home neglect case – BBC News

Posted June 4th, 2013 in bills, care homes, elderly, negligence, news by sally

“The collapse of Britain’s biggest investigation into elderly care home neglect has prompted calls for a reform of the law.”

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BBC News, 4th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woolworths collective redundancy verdict renders “establishment” concept irrelevant, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 4th, 2013 in appeals, consultations, employment tribunals, news, redundancy by sally

“Employers seeking to make redundancies at multiple business locations could be forced to consult employees on their plans following a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

BSB wades into legal aid row – Legal Futures

Posted June 4th, 2013 in barristers, competition, criminal justice, guilty pleas, legal aid, news, tenders by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has waded into the controversy over government plans to introduce price competitive tendering (PCT) in criminal work by warning that it risks causing irreparable harm to the credibility of the criminal justice system and incentivises lawyers to encourage guilty pleas.”

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Broken arms and strip-searches revealed in damning boys’ jail report – The Independent

“Two children at a privately-run Young Offenders Institution had their arms broken by staff last year during routine strip searches, a report by the Prison Inspectorate has revealed.”

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The Independent, 4th June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk