One in three law centres will fall victim to public spending cuts – The Independent

Posted August 9th, 2011 in law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“One in three of Britain’s law centres, where solicitors provide legal advice to poorer communities, face closure because of the squeeze on public spending.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Evicted gipsies launch human rights claim – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 8th, 2011 in families, human rights, legal aid, news, travellers by tracey

“A gipsy family accused of making life a misery is using legal aid to fund a human rights challenge in the European courts for being evicted – from a travellers’ camp.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will bring more DIY cases into courts – which will grind to a halt – The Guardian

Posted August 5th, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Cuts on this scale demand co-ordinated response in law education, guidance and resources, or the system won’t work.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The asylum seekers facing a Kafkaesque legal nightmare – The Guardian

Posted August 5th, 2011 in asylum, legal aid, news by sally

“Government cuts to legal aid for asylum seekers have left many without expert advice or access to their own case files.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid lawyers band together to lobby government – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 4th, 2011 in civil justice, legal aid, news by sally

“Lawyers’ groups have come together in an informal coalition to lobby the government over its legal aid and civil costs reforms, which they claim will ‘threaten the entire legal advice network’.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd August 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Update on payment of Advocates’ Criminal Graduated Fee Claims – The Bar Council

Posted August 4th, 2011 in barristers, evidence, fees, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Council has continued to receive complaints from barristers regarding delays and other problems since the Legal Services Commission took over the processing and payment of Crown Court legal aid fees. On 8 June 2011, the Bar Council posted a news item on its website detailing the reasons for the delays.1 Since then, the Bar Council has made further representations to ensure that these matters are resolved.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 3rd August 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

One in three law centres set to shut down – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 4th, 2011 in law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“At least a third of law centres will close if government plans to cut legal aid funding go ahead this autumn, solicitors have predicted.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 4th August 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

An accessible community legal clinic with a lot on its plate – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2011 in law centres, legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“A pro bono clinic is helping clients who have never sought legal advice before – and cuts to legal aid will mean more work still.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

My libel victory underlines the need for journalists to check their facts – The Guardian

Posted August 1st, 2011 in defamation, legal aid, media, news by tracey

“A critic is free to hate a book but this ruling found Lynn Barber had a reckless disregard for the truth.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoJ concession on immigration domestic violence cases – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 27th, 2011 in bills, budgets, domestic violence, immigration, legal aid, news by tracey

“Lawyers have welcomed the justice minister’s concession to put some immigration domestic violence cases back within the scope of legal aid.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Boris Johnson criticises legal aid proposals on domestic violence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 26th, 2011 in bills, domestic violence, evidence, legal aid, news by tracey

“The mayor of London has warned that the majority of women who have suffered domestic violence will find it ‘impossible’ to get legal aid to help divorce their abusive partners, because of the ‘restrictive’ evidence required to prove it.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Chairmen’s Update to Members of the Profession – July 2011 – The Bar Council

“Bar Council Chairmen’s Update to Members of the Profession – July 2011. Letter by Mr Peter Lodder QC and Mr Michael Todd QC.”

Full letter

The Bar Council, 25th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Professional Practice Committee issues public access guidance – The Bar Council

Posted July 22nd, 2011 in barristers, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has issued a reminder to all public access barristers that under paragraph 3(1) in Annex F2 of the Public Access Rules

‘A barrister may not accept direct instructions from or on behalf of a lay client: In or in connection with any matter or proceedings in which it is likely that the lay client would be eligible for public funding.'”

Full story

The Bar Council, 21st July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Domestic violence rules ‘boost cost of disputes’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 21st, 2011 in costs, domestic violence, injunctions, legal aid, news, undertakings by sally

“Family lawyers have attacked the government’s plans to deny legal aid to domestic violence victims who accept ‘undertakings’ from an allegedly abusive partner.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Reminder to barristers carrying out public access work – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 19th, 2011 in barristers, legal aid, press releases by tracey

“It has recently become apparent that some members of the Bar may have been accepting public access work from clients eligible for public funding, this is currently not permitted under Rule 3(1) of the Public Access Rules.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 18th July 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Legal aid U-turn ‘will penalise the innocent’ – The Guardian

Posted July 18th, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“Innocent people will be forced to pay thousands of pounds for their own defence lawyers after a controversial coalition U-turn on legal aid.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Chairman – Justice Committee Report Provides More Evidence that Legal Aid Cuts Mean DIY Justice – The Bar Council

Posted July 15th, 2011 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, news by tracey

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed the finding of the Justice Select Committee’s report on the Operation of the Family Courts, published today, which says that legal aid reforms risk an unmanageable rise in DIY justice, as vulnerable people are forced to go to family courts alone as litigants in person.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 14th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Sex abuse victims could suffer from legal aid cuts, MPs warn – The Guardian

“Victims of sexual abuse are in danger of being cross-examined in court by their tormentors unless the government makes legal aid available in such cases, according to a report by the Commons’ justice select committee.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Chairman Tells MPs to Protect Access to Justice as Controversial Legal Aid Bill Reaches Committee Stage – The Bar Council

Posted July 12th, 2011 in bills, civil justice, legal aid, press releases by tracey

“Peter Lodder QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has called for MPs to protect access to justice ahead of his appearance before the Public Bill Committee this afternoon.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 12th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

DIY justice is justice denied – The Guardian

Posted July 12th, 2011 in bills, civil justice, legal aid, news by tracey

“The ransacking of legal aid means society’s most vulnerable will be left to fend for themselves.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk