Family justice manifesto calls for rethink on cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 24th, 2011 in budgets, families, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“An alliance of groups opposed to the government’s family legal aid cuts has published a Manifesto for Family Justice, urging MPs to reconsider the proposals.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will put domestic abuse victims at risk, law groups warn – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2011 in child abuse, cross-examination, domestic violence, legal aid, news, victims by sally

“An increasing number of victims of domestic abuse, including children, will be cross-examined in court by their alleged assailants if the government goes ahead with plans to cut legal aid, a coalition of family and children’s charities has warned.”

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The Guardian, 24th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid: the right to a fair trial – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 21st, 2011 in bills, human rights, legal aid, news, trials by sally

“Under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), Art 6 ‘Right to a fair trial’, ‘equality of arms’ is implicitly granted in respect of both criminal charges and civil rights and obligations. By ensuring the entitlement of a ‘fair and public hearing’, it is presumed that legal aid funding will be afforded to those individuals who would suffer injustice otherwise.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 19th October 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Society calls for delay to legal aid bill – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 18th, 2011 in bills, legal aid, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

“The Law Society today called on the government to delay passage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, after Jonathan Djanogly was stripped of responsibility for regulating claims management companies.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The end is nigh for the unpopular legal aid body, so why aren’t we celebrating? – The Guardian

Posted October 17th, 2011 in legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The move to subsume the Legal Services Commission into the justice ministry shows you should be careful what you wish for.”

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The Guardian, 14th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Contingency Legal Aid Fund and Supplementary Legal Aid Fund – Speech by Lord Justice Jackson

Posted October 13th, 2011 in costs, legal aid, speeches by tracey

” “In this lecture to the Professional Negligence Bar Association (‘PNBA’) I want to concentrate on the question of creating a contingency legal fund (‘CLAF’) or possibly more than one such fund and a Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (‘SLAS’). It is only now (when the abolition of recoverable success fees has been announced) that such a venture becomes possible…’ ”

Full speech

Judiciary of England and Wales, 11th October 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Jonathan Djanogly faces inquiries into legal aid profits – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2011 in bills, conflict of interest, government departments, inquiries, legal aid, news by sally

“Jonathan Djanogly, the justice minister, has admitted for the first time to MPs that inquiries had been launched by his own department and the Cabinet Office following an investigation by the Guardian that revealed he could personally profit from changes he was piloting in the Commons.”

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The Guardian, 11th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jackson calls for action on contingency legal aid fund – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 12th, 2011 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

“The ‘time is ripe for action’ on creating a Contingency Legal Aid Fund (CLAF), according to Lord Justice Jackson, architect of the government’s reforms of civil litigation costs. ‘There is clearly a strong will among many in the legal profession to make such a scheme work,’ he said.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 11th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Jonathan Djanogly forced to act over conflict of interest claims – The Guardian

Posted October 10th, 2011 in bills, conflict of interest, government departments, legal aid, news by sally

“The justice minister Jonathan Djanogly has been forced to publicly declare in the parliamentary register that his controversial stakes in the insurance industry have been placed in a ‘blind trust’, after a Guardian investigation revealed that he could personally profit from legislation he is piloting in the Commons.”

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The Guardian, 9th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chancery Lane launches action over committal fee reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 6th, 2011 in courts, fees, guilty pleas, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“The Law Society has launched a legal challenge against the government over criminal legal aid fees.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 5th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Access to justice is a fine concept. What does it mean in view of cuts to legal aid? – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2011 in civil justice, legal aid, news by sally

“Experts give their views on the effect on ordinary people in light of Ken Clarke’s reforms to publicly funded law.”

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The Guardian, 6th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

#WithoutPrejudice 12: Riots, sentencing appeals – Troy Davis execution – Legal Aid cutbacks and Clause 12 – Charon QC

“Criminal Law Special: Sentencing in the wake of the riots and the forthcoming appeals, Contempt of Court, Troy Davis execution, Legal Aid and Clause 12 re-visited.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 30th September 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Bar Council Chair Warns Conservative Conference of Consequences of Legal Aid Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, the Chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, will warn of the significant threat posed to access to justice by the Government’s proposed legal aid cuts.”

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The Bar Council, 30th September 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Attorney general returns to unique role over legal aid reform – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2011 in attorney general, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“The attorney general is to intervene in the controversy over cuts to family justice, according to the Times. Dominic Grieve is to tell Ken Clarke that the lord chancellor’s proposals would clog up the courts with unrepresented litigants.”

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The Guardian, 28th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Attorney General: cuts to legal aid will force people to represent themselves in court – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 27th, 2011 in legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Dominic Grieve, the Attorney General, is to raise concerns about cuts in legal aid with the Cabinet.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawcast 197: John Cooper QC on legal aid and the pernicious effect of Clause 12 LASPO – Charon QC

Posted September 23rd, 2011 in legal aid, podcasts by sally

“Today, I am talking to John Cooper QC about legal aid and, in particular, Clause 12.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 21st September 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Charity in legal aid challenge on clinical negligence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 23rd, 2011 in charities, judicial review, legal aid, medical treatment, negligence, news by sally

“Action Against Medical Accidents has launched a legal challenge against the government’s controversial plans to scrap legal aid for clinical negligence cases.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd September 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Telephone gateway plan could face judicial review – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 23rd, 2011 in judicial review, legal aid, news, telecommunications by tracey

“Government plans to introduce a mandatory telephone gateway to the civil legal aid scheme are facing a legal challenge which is supported by The Law Society. The Public Law Project, acting on behalf of ten specialist legal aid firms, has issued an application for permission to apply for a judicial review of the plan.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd September 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Milly Dowler’s family urges Cameron to rethink legal reforms – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2011 in compensation, fees, legal aid, news, victims by tracey

“The family of Milly Dowler, the murdered teenager whose mobile phone was hacked by the News of the World, has written to the prime minister urging him to abandon legal reforms that will prevent victims suing for compensation.”

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The Guardian, 22nd September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: Dowler family letter to David Cameron

Legal aid bill ‘contravenes UN convention’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 22nd, 2011 in bills, domestic violence, legal aid, news, sex discrimination by tracey

“The government’s plans to remove legal aid in private law family cases will place the UK in breach of its obligations under a United Nations convention to prevent discrimination against women, the Gazette has been told.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd September 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk