The Special Advocate – Not Waving but Drowning – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 1st, 2023 in advocacy, closed material, delay, immigration, news, reports by sally

’25 June 2023 was the tenth anniversary of section 6 of the Justice and Security Act 2013 (the JSA) coming into force. It was an anniversary that, as far as I know, passed unremarked. Nevertheless it was a remarkable anniversary – though not a cause for celebration. This is because it marked 5 years since the date that Parliament had required a review of the controversial procedures under the Act, involving secret closed hearings – and yet the Government’s response to the recommendations from that review was still awaited. Even now, no Government response has been forthcoming, nearly a year after the long-delayed report was published, despite the urgency attached to some of the recommendations.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th October 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

New expert panel to support victims after major disasters – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 2nd, 2023 in advocacy, bereavement, emergency services, inquiries, news, social services, victims by tracey

‘Survivors and the bereaved families of major disasters like Hillsborough, the Manchester Arena bombing and the Grenfell Tower fire will receive new dedicated support in the future under plans unveiled by the government today (1 March).’

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Ministry of Justice, 1st March 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Hillsborough families demand more after MoJ proposes disaster support – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 2nd, 2023 in advocacy, bereavement, health & safety, inquests, news, sport, victims by tracey

‘Families of victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster say they will not be satisfied until people have access to representation at inquests. Their latest call comes following a pledge from justice secretary Dominic Raab MP to support victims of large-scale disasters through the creation of an Independent Public Advocate (IPA).’

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Law Society's Gazette, 1st March 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Accent bias still holding back regional barristers, research finds – Legal Futures

Posted January 31st, 2023 in advocacy, barristers, bias, diversity, news by tracey

‘Barristers with regional accents still encounter bias from both clients and professional colleagues that those who speak in what is regarded as an “acceptable” accent do not, new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 30th January 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Sceptical crime lawyers lambast Raab’s plan to “extend” higher rights – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers have reacted with scepticism at the suggestion that Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab wants to “extend” higher rights of audience to more criminal defence solicitors.’

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Legal Futures, 25th August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitors’ agents and rights of audience – appeal decision – Nearly Legal

‘This is an issue that has come up here a few times (eg this post and this post) – the rights of audience of people who do not have a right of audience in their own right, but attend hearings to carry out advocacy. Now we have a County Court detailed appeal decision on the issue (not binding, but as an appeal to a circuit judge, of persuasive value).’

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Nearly Legal, 7th August 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Judge calls for guidance on rights of unqualified agency advocates – Legal Futures

Posted June 10th, 2022 in advocacy, barristers, county courts, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘County court judges would benefit from “more authoritative guidance” from the higher courts on whether unqualified solicitor’s agents have rights of audience, a circuit judge has said.’

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Legal Futures, 10th June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Let juniors conduct more advocacy, Commercial Court says – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 7th, 2022 in advocacy, barristers, case management, Commercial Court, news by tracey

‘Parties before the Commercial Court have been encouraged to allow junior barristers to conduct more advocacy.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd February 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Advocates use ‘with respect’ in court as “marker of disrespect” – Legal Futures

Posted January 6th, 2022 in advocacy, barristers, brexit, legal language, news by sally

‘Advocates can use the word “respect” as “an implicit marker of disrespect” when addressing opposing counsel in court, academics have found.’

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Legal Futures, 6th January 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Junior barristers’ win rates almost on par with QCs, say researchers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 9th, 2021 in advocacy, barristers, news, queen's counsel, statistics by michael

‘Queen’s Counsel do not win significantly more cases than junior barristers when they are pitted against each other in court, research by a litigation analytics company has found.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 9th July 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

It’s not just what you say, it’s how you act in the courtroom – Re P (A Child: Remote Hearing) [2020] EWFC 32 – 5SAH

‘The family court has transformed in the last few weeks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote court hearings were once deemed futuristic but as with other public services, the courts have had to adapt. However, in this judgment (Re P (A Child: Remote Hearing)), Sir Andrew McFarlane sent a clear message that not all hearings will be suitable for remote hearing.’

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5 SAH, 6th May 2020

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Lawyers want crackdown on ‘unscrupulous’ untrained advocates who put public at risk – Daily Telegraph

‘A new breed of untrained legal advocates who are ripping off the public with “flawed” and “dangerous” legal advice should be banned, lawyers’ leaders and politicians have urged ministers.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘McKenzie friends’ must be banned because courts are being overrun by untrained advocates, senior politicians say – Daily Telegraph

‘A new breed of untrained legal advocates who are ripping off the public with “flawed” and “dangerous” legal advice should be banned, lawyers’ leaders and politicians have urged ministers.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Thoughts on Advocacy from the Coal Face – a paper – Six Pump Court

Posted October 9th, 2019 in advocacy, barristers, legal education, news by sally

‘In a paper entitled “Aristotle and the Three Pillars of Advocacy or a few thoughts on advocacy from the coal face”, Richard Barraclough QC draws on his experience of advocacy and discusses his own principles and methods of effectively presenting a case – both for the defence and the prosecution.’

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Six Pump Court, 4th October 2019

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

BSB passes regulatory test on advocacy quality – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has said the Bar Standards Board (BSB) now meets the standard it set for improving the quality of advocacy – unlike the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and CILEx Regulation (CR), whose work is ongoing.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd September 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Put your house in order,” court tells solicitor over higher rights – Legal Futures

Posted July 29th, 2019 in advocacy, news, rights of audience, solicitor advocates by sally

‘The High Court has told a solicitor who accidentally exercised higher rights of audience without the formal qualification to do so “to put his house in order”.’

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Legal Futures, 29th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Report calls for better regulation of criminal defence work – Legal Futures

Posted July 23rd, 2019 in advocacy, criminal justice, fees, news, standards by sally

‘An “effective system” is needed for monitoring the quality of criminal defence lawyers, a report by charity Transform Justice has found.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Oral arguments should follow skeleton’s ‘road-map’, judge warns – Litigation Futures

Posted July 23rd, 2019 in advocacy, news, skeleton arguments by sally

‘A High Court judge has complained about a “growing trend” of advocates departing significantly from the case they set out in their skeleton argument, after making one who did so make further written submissions.’

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Litigation Futures, 22nd July 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lord Sumption at the Young Bar Conference 2018, London – Supreme Court

Posted November 26th, 2018 in advocacy, barristers, judiciary, legal aid, speeches by tracey

‘Lord Sumption at the Annual Bar and Young Bar Conference 2018, London.’

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Supreme Court, 24th November 2018

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Sumption: Bar of future will be smaller and more specialist – Legal Futures

Posted November 26th, 2018 in advocacy, barristers, judiciary, legal aid, news by tracey

‘There will be fewer and more specialist barristers in the future, Lord Sumption has predicted, as he criticised some of the Bar’s actions in response to legal aid cuts.’

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Legal Futures, 26th November 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk