Majority verdict: we already have a bill of rights – The Guardian
“Adam Wagner examines some of the responses to the consultation on a UK bill of rights.”
The Guardian, 22nd November 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: legal aid
Lords tear into legal aid bill – Law Society’s Gazette
“The Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders passed its second reading in the House of Lords last night after an eight-hour battering from peers. Following a debate in which 51 of the 54 members who rose to speak criticised the bill, justice minister Lord McNally, responding for the government, promised ‘to listen’ to the ‘strong concerns’ raised particularly in relation to domestic violence and clinical negligence.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd November 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Legal aid cuts undermine constitutional right to access to justice, peers warn – The Guardian
“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.”
The Guardian, 17th November 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
New report on impact of legal aid cuts on disabled people – LAG News Blog
“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.”
LAG News Blog, 14th November 2011
Legal aid cuts ‘will stop the most vulnerable getting justice’ says report – The Guardian
“Civil Justice Council says planned £350m reduction in legal aid budget will also result in courts struggling to manage caseloads.”
The Guardian, 11th November 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Access to Justice for Litigants in Person (or self-represented litigants) – Civil Justice Council
“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.”
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
“Legal aid cuts will leave more people representing themselves, but may also make City firms pull their weight with pro bono work.”
The Guardian, 8th November 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Legal aid cuts ‘will undermine pro bono work’ – Law Society’s Gazette
“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.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 7th November 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Reforms will cut claims against NHS in half – Law Society’s Gazette
“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.”
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
“If passed in its present form, the legal aid bill will compound the agonies of warring families.”
The Guardian, 6th November 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Ken Clarke’s justice bill passed despite ‘attacks’ – BBC News
“The government’s controversial changes to sentencing policy and legal aid have cleared the Commons, despite opposition from MPs of all parties.”
BBC News, 2nd November 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill – BBC News
“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.”
BBC News, 31st October 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Warning over legal aid cuts for disabled people – BBC News
“Ministers are being urged not to restrict legal aid for disabled people wanting to challenge benefit decisions.”
BBC News, 31st October 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Abused women will suffer from legal aid cuts, charity claims – The Guardian
“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.”
The Guardian, 31st October 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Referral fee ban will go in legal aid bill – Law Society’s Gazette
“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.”
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
“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.”
The Bar Council, 24th October 2011
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
Legal aid lawyers overpaid by £50m – Daily Telegraph
“Lawyers were overpaid by more than £50 million for legal aid work last year, auditors have discovered.”
Daily Telegraph, 27th October 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
