Court blocks £420k legal aid challenge from litigant in person – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 6th, 2018 in judicial review, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘The High Court has turned down a public funding challenge from a litigant in person who believed a government body was acting against him.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th April 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Barristers’ strike over cuts to justice system delays case – BBC News

Posted April 5th, 2018 in barristers, delay, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘A murder case at the Old Bailey has become one of the first to be affected by a strike by barristers.’

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BBC News, 4th April 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid: Barristers to strike over ‘relentless cuts’ – BBC News

Posted April 4th, 2018 in barristers, budgets, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘Barristers are to go on strike over “relentless” cuts which have left the criminal justice system “broken”.’

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BBC News, 30th March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Third of criminal law barristers consider leaving jobs as CBA launches direct action – Legal Futures

‘The depth of despondency among criminal law barristers has been revealed in a survey as direct action by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) began on Easter Day.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd April 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers united: solicitors pledge to back bar’s action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 28th, 2018 in barristers, industrial action, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Solicitors have strongly indicated that they will stand shoulder to shoulder with the bar should their barrister ‘friends’ decide to take action against further government cuts to the legal aid budget.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 27th March 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Statement from the Chair of the Bar on AGFS – The Bar Council

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘Statement from the Chair of the Bar on AGFS.’

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The Bar Council, 24th March 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Criminal barristers expecting ‘overwhelming’ support for action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Criminal barristers are expected to announce direct action this week against what they say is the latest round of government cuts to the legal aid budget. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said it will update members on Thursday on the results of a survey it sent to them asking whether they wanted to take action. CBA chair Angela Rafferty said this morning that the signs are that “there will be overwhelming support for unified action.” ’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th March 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Poorest priced out of justice by legal aid rules, says Law Society – The Guardian

Posted March 20th, 2018 in civil justice, criminal justice, legal aid, news, reports by sally

‘Some of the poorest families in England and Wales are being denied legal aid because they cannot afford the financial contributions they are required to make, according to the Law Society.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Big win for NHS Resolution in test cases on pre-LASPO funding switches – Litigation Futures

Posted March 19th, 2018 in appeals, fees, health, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has found for NHS Resolution (NHSR) in three test cases over the reasonableness of solicitors switching clients from legal aid to conditional fee agreements (CFAs) ahead of the introduction of LASPO.’

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Litigation Futures, 16th March 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Parliament warned of ‘threat to profession’s independence’ over legal aid funding decisions – Legal Futures

Posted March 16th, 2018 in human rights, legal aid, legal profession, news, select committees by tracey

‘There is a “worrying trend” towards potential government interference in decisions over the grant of legal aid that threaten the independence of the profession, a leading solicitor warned parliamentarians this week.’

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Legal Futures, 16th March 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Low salaries dog debt-ridden young legal aid lawyers, says social mobility report – Legal Futures

Posted March 14th, 2018 in debts, legal aid, legal profession, news, remuneration by sally

‘More than half of young legal aid lawyers are earning less than £25,000 a year, yet more than a quarter start their careers carrying more than £35,000 debt as a result of their education, according to a survey of lawyers in the sector.’

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Legal Futures, 14th March 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chair criticises ‘glacial pace’ of LASPO review – The Bar Council

Posted March 9th, 2018 in budgets, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘Responding to news this week that the Government’s review of LASPO will be delayed until the end of the year, Chair of the Bar Andrew Walker QC said it is frustrating that the review is moving at such a “glacial pace”.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 8th march 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Mother faces £20,000 costs bill despite successfully challenging care order – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in costs, legal aid, local government, news, placement orders by tracey

‘Local authorities should not have to cover legal aid funding deficiencies, the Court of Appeal has said, while upholding a mother’s challenge against a placement order. A placement order allows the local authority to place a child with suitable adopters following care proceedings, even if the parents do not agree.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government failure on discrimination and education law services – Legal Action

Posted February 14th, 2018 in education, equality, legal aid, news, public procurement by michael

“It’s not difficult to imagine what would happen if the government announced that it could not guarantee services for, say, something like diabetes. There would be an outcry, ministers would be hauled before parliament to answer questions and would face being skewered on Newsnight. And quite rightly so. In contrast, though, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) announced this week that it is abandoning the procurement process for education and discrimination law advice, leaving a question mark over the continued provision of these services. So far there has been little or no furore over this decision.”

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Legal Action, February 2018

Source: www.lag.org.uk

Availability of Legal Aid for Applications Pursuant to the 1996 Hague Convention – Family Law Week

Posted February 6th, 2018 in children, legal aid, news, parental responsibility, regulations, treaties by tracey

‘Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE QC (Hon), Partner, Dawson Cornwell, and Michael Gration, Barrister, 4 Paper Buildings, highlight an oversight in LASPO.’

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Family Law Week, 4th February 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Hyde Park bombing: Families of victims of IRA attack granted legal aid – The Independent

Posted February 6th, 2018 in armed forces, explosives, families, legal aid, news, victims by tracey

‘Families of the victims of the IRA Hyde Park bombing have been awarded legal aid to fund civil action against a suspect.’

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The Independent, 6th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Underfunded justice system ‘crumbling’, top criminal barrister says – The Guardian

‘Failures to disclose evidence in rape prosecutions are a sign of the “dystopian disaster” engulfing the criminal justice system that has been caused by chronic government underfunding, the head of the criminal bar has warned.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

One in three people with legal problems in UK develop health issues – report – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2018 in civil justice, criminal justice, health, legal aid, mental health, news, reports by sally

‘Almost one-third of those with legal problems in the UK report developing a stress-related or physical illness as a result of their experience, according to a new international survey comparing people’s perceptions of justice around the world.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Finance and Divorce Update, January 2018 – Family Law Week

‘Sue Brookes, Senior Associate with Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during December 2017.’

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Family law Week, 10th January 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Bar Council: New Lord Chancellor must ensure justice is properly resourced and functioning effectively – The Bar Council

Posted January 9th, 2018 in barristers, legal aid, lord chancellor, news by sally

‘Commenting on the appointment of The Rt Hon David Gauke MP as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the Chair of the Bar, Andrew Walker QC, said:

“The Bar Council warmly congratulates David Gauke on his appointment. We look forward to working with the new Lord Chancellor to ensure access to justice is available to all, to ensure that the system for securing the administration of justice is resourced properly and functioning effectively, and to achieve fair and sustainable public funding arrangements for advocacy and legal advice. These matter because they underpin the rule of law and our constitutional principles which the Lord Chancellor has a special responsibility to uphold.”‘

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The Bar Council, 9th January 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk