Category: legal aid

Legal aid cuts undermine constitutional right to access to justice, peers warn – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2011 in budgets, constitutional law, legal aid, news by tracey

“Government proposals to slice £350m out the annual legal aid budget undermine the constitutional principle that citizens must have access to justice, a senior House of Lords committee has warned. Issued by the constitution select committee, which includes prominent crossbench and Conservative peers, the report is a significant challenge to the legal aid, sentencing and punishment of offenders bill days before its second reading in the upper house.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New report on impact of legal aid cuts on disabled people – LAG News Blog

Posted November 14th, 2011 in benefits, budgets, disabled persons, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“LAG commissioned the disability charity Scope to research the impact of the proposed cuts in legal aid on benefits advice for disabled people. The report, Legal aid in welfare: the tool we can’t afford to lose, which is published today, demonstrates the serious consequences of the government’s proposals on disabled people and argues that taking benefits advice out of scope will undermine the government’s welfare reform programme.”

Full story

LAG News Blog, 14th November 2011

Source: www.legalactiongroupnews.blogspot.com

Legal aid cuts ‘will stop the most vulnerable getting justice’ says report – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2011 in civil justice, Civil Justice Council, legal aid, litigants in person, news by tracey

“Civil Justice Council says planned £350m reduction in legal aid budget will also result in courts struggling to manage caseloads.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

Access to Justice for Litigants in Person (or self-represented litigants) – Civil Justice Council

Posted November 11th, 2011 in civil justice, Civil Justice Council, legal aid, litigants in person, reports by tracey

“A CJC working party has looked at how access to justice can be improved for individuals, known as litigants-in-person, who either choose not to have or cannot afford legal representation. Its report sets out a range of short and longer term practical recommendations aimed at addressing the problems faced by unrepresented litigants to help them resolve their disputes.”

Full report

Civil Justice Council, 11th November 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/advisory-bodies/cjc

Legal profession braces itself for a surge in DIY lawyers after funding cuts – The Guardian

Posted November 9th, 2011 in law firms, legal aid, litigants in person, news, pro bono work by tracey

“Legal aid cuts will leave more people representing themselves, but may also make City firms pull their weight with pro bono work.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid cuts ‘will undermine pro bono work’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 8th, 2011 in legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“Proposed cuts to legal aid threaten to undermine a decade of pro bono work, the legal profession has warned at the start of the tenth national pro bono week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th November 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Reforms will cut claims against NHS in half – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 8th, 2011 in legal aid, medical treatment, news, personal injuries by sally

“Legal aid cuts and the Jackson reforms will slash the number of claims brought against the NHS by 50%, a senior member of the Civil Justice Council has predicted.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th November 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Carry on with the cuts and good divorce reforms will fail – The Guardian

Posted November 8th, 2011 in bills, divorce, families, family courts, legal aid, news, reports by sally

“If passed in its present form, the legal aid bill will compound the agonies of warring families.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Responds to Family Justice Review – The Bar Council

Posted November 4th, 2011 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, press releases by tracey

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, and the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA), which represents family barristers, have welcomed the key proposals of the Family Justice Review, contained in the final report published today. They have, however, voiced concerns about its ambitious vision of the future of family justice in the face of drastic proposed cuts to family legal aid.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Ken Clarke’s justice bill passed despite ‘attacks’ – BBC News

Posted November 3rd, 2011 in bills, legal aid, news, sentencing by sally

“The government’s controversial changes to sentencing policy and legal aid have cleared the Commons, despite opposition from MPs of all parties.”

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BBC News, 2nd November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill – BBC News

Posted November 1st, 2011 in bills, legal aid, news, sentencing by sally

“Watch live coverage of debate on the remaining stages of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill for the second day on 1 November 2011 from 2.30pm.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Chairman – Slashing and Burning Legal Aid will Increase Costs – The Bar Council

Posted October 31st, 2011 in barristers, budgets, costs, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has warned the Government of the serious consequences of pursuing far reaching cuts to legal aid, as the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Commons.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 31st October 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Warning over legal aid cuts for disabled people – BBC News

Posted October 31st, 2011 in benefits, budgets, disabled persons, legal aid, news by sally

“Ministers are being urged not to restrict legal aid for disabled people wanting to challenge benefit decisions.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Abused women will suffer from legal aid cuts, charity claims – The Guardian

Posted October 31st, 2011 in budgets, domestic violence, legal aid, news by sally

“More women living in abusive relationships will be killed or driven to suicide if the government pushes through cuts to legal aid, a leading national charity has warned.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Referral fee ban will go in legal aid bill – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 28th, 2011 in fees, legal aid, news, personal injuries by tracey

“The justice secretary has confirmed that a rule banning the payment of referral fees in personal injury cases will be introduced into the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and debated next week in parliament.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

A Manifesto for Family Justice – Alliance of Interest Groups Calls on Government to Change Plans – The Bar Council

Posted October 28th, 2011 in families, family courts, legal aid, press releases, victims by tracey

“An alliance of organisations which represents the rights and needs of women, children, families and victims of domestic abuse and/or are engaged in the administration of family justice, has published a Manifesto for Family Justice, ahead of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill moving into Report Stage in the House of Commons.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 24th October 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal aid lawyers overpaid by £50m – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 28th, 2011 in accounts, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

“Lawyers were overpaid by more than £50 million for legal aid work last year, auditors have discovered.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will cause courts logjam, warn top judges – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in budgets, courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Legal aid cuts aimed at saving £350m a year will result in courts being deluged by people without lawyers and will restrict access to justice, some of the country’s most senior judges have told the Guardian.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Why nearly a third of us could soon be living in a legal advice desert – The Guardian

Posted October 25th, 2011 in law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“Public funds left for social welfare law won’t be enough for not-for-profits to hire one full-time caseworker in 30% of areas.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid bill ‘to hit families, women and children’ – BBC News

Posted October 25th, 2011 in domestic violence, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“A coalition of lawyers and charities has attacked planned government changes to the legal aid system as ‘disturbing’ for children, women and families.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk