Legal aid for welfare benefits plummets over a decade – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 18th, 2019 in appeals, benefits, budgets, legal aid, news, statistics by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice says its delayed review of the impact of its controversial legal aid reforms is nearly done after publishing a table showing an alarming drop in the number of people who have been granted public funding in welfare benefits cases over the last decade.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th January 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Javid and Hammond team up to tackle £14bn of economic crimes – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2019 in bribery, budgets, corruption, enforcement, fraud, money laundering, news, statistics by tracey

‘The home secretary and chancellor are to launch a joint assault on fraud, bribery, corruption and money laundering. Sajid Javid and Philip Hammond will chair a new taskforce that will work with senior figures in the financial sector to tackle economic crime. This is a broad category covering a range of illegal activity, with the Home Office estimating its scale to be at least £14.4bn a year.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

With friends like these…Burgess v Lejonvarn: Christmas cheer for construction professionals – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted December 20th, 2018 in appeals, budgets, construction industry, contracts, costs, duty of care, news by tracey

‘As we all get into the festive spirit you may well find yourself chatting to family or friends about their latest project. Some may ask for your opinion or advice. But don’t get carried away; remember the cautionary tale of Burgess v Lejonvarn before offering any free advice.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 18th December 2018

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Boost for litigators as court approves 78% costs budget rise – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 20th, 2018 in budgets, costs, disclosure, news by tracey

‘The High Court has approved an upwardly revised costs budget after finding that extra disclosure demands constituted a ‘significant development’ in the case. Master Davison approved the increase in Al-Najar & Ors v The Cumberland Hotel (London) after lawyers acting for the claimants were given double the number of documents they had been expecting.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 20th December 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judges reject MoJ plans for trials by video link and warn against cuts – The Guardian

Posted December 20th, 2018 in budgets, courts, judiciary, live link evidence, Ministry of Justice, news, remote hearings by tracey

‘Judges have rejected radical Ministry of Justice plans to hold full trials via remote video hearings and warned that imposing deep cuts on staff numbers will render the courts system “unworkable”.

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The Guardian, 20th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Human dignity in a time of austerity: the Rule of Law as a counterpoint to the hostile environment for migrants – Garden Court Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in asylum, budgets, human rights, immigration, news, rule of law by sally

‘Garden Court Chambers’ Amanda Weston QC delivered the plenary speech at our inaugural Migrant Support Conference with Legal Action Group (LAG) on 28 November 2018.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 3rd December 2018

Source: 2h12ms1eq7wnva373scllpi9-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com

Sexual assault victims waiting a year for counselling, MPs say – The Guardian

Posted December 12th, 2018 in budgets, news, sexual offences, social services, victims by sally

‘Sexual assault victims are waiting up to 14 months for counselling as specialist support services struggle to cope with unprecedented demand, MPs have said.’

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The Guardian, 11th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Restore legal aid for separating couples, MoJ urged – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 11th, 2018 in budgets, consultations, divorce, families, legal aid, news by sally

‘Digitising the divorce application process and hoping for the best isn’t enough to reform the legal requirements for splitting up, the Law Society has warned, telling the government to restore legal aid so that separating couples can receive early advice.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid advice network ‘decimated’ by funding cuts – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2018 in budgets, housing, legal aid, legal representation, litigants in person, news, statistics by sally

‘Cuts to legal aid have created “deserts” of provision across England and Wales, a BBC investigation found.’

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BBC News, 10th December 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Time to be canny about cash flow – New Law Journal

Posted December 11th, 2018 in budgets, law firms, news by sally

‘Norman Kenvyn shares some tips on how to avoid stretched billing timescales.’

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New Law Journal, 19th November 2018

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

City to contest cases where asylum seeker assessed as adult threatens legal action – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 11th, 2018 in asylum, budgets, children, immigration, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘Liverpool City Council is to contest the next cases in which apparently adult asylum seekers claim to be children, in the face of a potential £1.5m cost for looking after them.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th December 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Families threaten county with legal action over cuts to services for disabled children – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 10th, 2018 in budgets, children, disabled persons, education, local government, news by sally

‘Lawyers acting for families with disabled children have threatened Somerset County Council with a legal challenge over proposed cuts to services that would save £2m over the next two years.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th December 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Leading firm left with court fees budget after late service – Litigation Futures

Posted December 7th, 2018 in budgets, case management, costs, fees, indemnities, law firms, news, sanctions, service by tracey

‘A leading national law firm that served its budget late has failed in an application for relief from sanctions only made on the day of the case and costs management conference (CCMC).’

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Litigation Futures, 7th December 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Further CPS cuts impossible as workload grows, says new boss – The Guardian

‘The Crown Prosecution Service cannot sustain further cuts because digital technology is imposing heavy additional workloads on its lawyers, Max Hill QC, the new director of public prosecutions, has told MPs.’

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The Guardian, 4th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog to launch investigation into UK funerals over ‘unjustified’ price hikes – The Independent

Posted November 29th, 2018 in bereavement, budgets, burials and cremation, competition, news, statistics by tracey

‘The UK funeral market could be the subject of the competition watchdog’s next investigation, after the regulator said it had “serious concerns” with the sector due to “unjustified” price hikes of more than 66 per cent over the last 10 years.’

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The Independent, 29th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women launch legal challenge to ‘irrational’ universal credit system – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2018 in benefits, budgets, debts, families, news by tracey

‘Four women have launched a high court legal challenge to universal credit, arguing that an arbitrary design flaw in the payment system for the new benefit is “irrational and discriminatory” and leaves some families hundreds of pounds a year worse off.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Some 125 barristers earned more than £1m last year – Legal Futures

Posted November 27th, 2018 in barristers, budgets, consultations, fees, licensing, news, remuneration, statistics by tracey

‘There were around 125 barristers reporting fees of more than £1m last year, and another 200 who brought in more than £500,000, new figures from the Bar Council have suggested.
The Bar Council, including the Bar Standards Board, is set to raise an extra £900,000 by imposing higher practising certificate fees (PCFs) on barristers earning more than £500,000 for the first time.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Police ‘picking up pieces of mental health system’, says watchdog – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2018 in budgets, mental health, news, ombudsmen, police, statistics by tracey

‘Overstretched police forces are having to “pick up the pieces of a broken mental health system” on top of tackling crime, the emergency services watchdog has found. More than half of all mental health patients who need help in a place of safety are taken there in a police car rather than an ambulance, according to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Annual Bar and Young Bar Conference 2018: David Gauke speech – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 26th, 2018 in artificial intelligence, barristers, brexit, budgets, courts, divorce, fees, speeches by tracey

‘Lord Chancellor David Gauke spoke about the revised Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme in his speech on 24 November 2018.’

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Ministry of Justice, 24th November 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Scrapping juries in rape trials risks rise in miscarriages of justice – The Guardian

‘There is no evidence juries are failing their duty. Abolishing them could increase pressure on judges to boost conviction rates.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com