Chancery Lane attacks ‘deeply flawed’ MoJ legal aid proposals – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 11th, 2009 in legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“The Law Society has called on the Ministry of Justice to clarify its ‘incoherent’ and ‘deeply flawed’ consultation on criminal legal aid cuts.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th September 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Paul Mendel QC, Chairman of the CBA, attacks government on new proposals – The Bar Council

Posted September 7th, 2009 in barristers, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, Paul Mendel QC, has attacked the government’s proposals to reduce fees for criminal defence work in a letter to The Times.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 4th September 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Important meeting for all heads of criminal sets on Tuesday 8th September – The Bar Council

Posted September 4th, 2009 in barristers, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Chairman of the Bar is inviting all heads of criminal chambers to a meeting to discuss the Ministry of Justice’s Consultation Paper published on 20th August 2009 which contains proposals which are potentially very damaging to the publicly funded bar.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 3rd September 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

The justice gap: Suzanne Holdsworth on her wrongful conviction – The Guardian

Posted September 3rd, 2009 in legal aid, news by sally

“Suzanne Holdsworth was wrongly convicted of the murder of two-year-old Kyle Fisher. Her fight for freedom was funded by legal aid, but pressure on the system means other people may not be so lucky.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd September 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association Calls for a Halt to the Government’s “Cavalier” Legal Aid Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted September 1st, 2009 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

“The new Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), Paul Mendelle QC, has today called for the Government to re-think its approach towards the publicly-funded Bar.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 1st September 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Council Statement in Response to Ministry of Justice Consultation on Legal Aid Funding Reforms – The Bar Council

Posted August 21st, 2009 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

“Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, commenting on the publication today of the Ministry of Justice consultation ‘Legal Aid: Funding Reforms’ said:

‘It is a total misuse of language for Lord Bach to talk about ‘efficiency savings’. These are cuts in spending, pure and simple, to what is an integral part of the welfare state. It is horrifying that the Ministry can even contemplate such measures during the 60th anniversary of the Legal Aid Act. Cuts on this scale will not merely drive down quality, they will force practitioners out of legal aid work. The Minister knows this has already happened with family legal aid work, as the Bar recently demonstrated with a report from King’s College, London.'”

Full story

The Bar Council, 20th August 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal aid reforms – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 21st, 2009 in legal aid, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice today set out proposals to rebalance the legal aid budget to ensure that the £2 billion currently spent every year goes as far as possible in favour of civil help for those who need it most.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 20th August 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Barristers’ fees slashed in Government squeeze on legal aid bill – The Times

Posted August 21st, 2009 in barristers, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“Defence barristers face swingeing cuts of up to 25 per cent in their fees under government moves to freeze the £2 billion annual legal aid bill. Payments for some expert witnesses giving their opinions in cases will also fall by up to 20 per cent in an attempt to reduce a £192 million-a-year bill.”

Full story

The Times, 21st August 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Bar Council Marks 60th Anniversary of Legal Aid Act 1949 – The Bar Council

Posted July 30th, 2009 in legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council has produced a short film to mark the 60th anniversary of the Legal Aid Act, which received Royal Assent on the 30th July 1949. The film, which is available on the Bar Council’s website, features interviews with some senior barristers who explain the importance of legal aid and reflect on the future of the publicly funded Bar.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 30th July 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Ministers admit more work is needed on family legal aid scheme – The Bar Council

Posted July 24th, 2009 in family courts, legal aid, press releases by sally

“Government Ministers have acknowledged that controversial plans to impose fixed fees for legal representation for vulnerable families and children cannot proceed without ‘further analysis’.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 21st July 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal aid tendering proposals postponed – The Independent

Posted July 21st, 2009 in law firms, legal aid, news, tenders by sally

“Ministers have postponed plans to make law firms bid for criminal legal aid work.”

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The Independent, 21st July 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jack Straw cracks down on trivial prisoner legal claims – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 17th, 2009 in legal aid, press releases, prisons by sally

“Jack Straw has announced proposals to crack down on nuisance legal claims and new powers to seize money from prisoners.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 16th July 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Government’s Impact Assessment on Family Legal Aid Contains ‘Surprising and Fundamental’ Errors – The Bar Council

Posted July 17th, 2009 in family courts, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Bar Council and the Family Law Bar Association have today published a review of the Impact Assessment carried out by Ernst & Young on the impact of the Legal Service Commission’s proposed cuts to the family legal aid budget.  The review, which was conducted by the independent economic consultancy Oxera, analyses the Ernst & Young report, A Market Analysis of Family Advocacy, which was published on the 29th June.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 16th July 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Don’t deny justice to prisoners – The Guardian

Posted July 17th, 2009 in legal aid, news, prisons by sally

“Jack Straw plans to cut ‘nuisance’ legal claims by prisoners. But doing so risks a return to the bad old days of rooftop protest.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th July 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family Legal Aid Plans Torn Apart in Damning Justice Select Committee Report – The Bar Council

Posted July 16th, 2009 in family courts, legal aid, press releases by sally

“Legal Services Commission proposals to cut legal support for vulnerable children and families have been savaged in a damning report from the all-party Justice Select Committee.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 15th July 2009

source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal aid for prisoners to be capped as Jack Straw criticises lawyers – The Times

Posted July 16th, 2009 in legal aid, news, prisons by sally

“Prisoners are to be blocked from seeking legal aid to bring ‘trivial’ cases against the Prison Service under plans to be announced by the Government today.”

Full story

The Times, 16th July 2o09

Source; www.timesonline.co.uk

Consultation – Crown Court means testing draft regulations – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 15th, 2009 in legal aid, press releases by sally

“This consultation paper sets out the details of the draft regulations for the introduction of means testing for criminal legal aid in the Crown Court.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 14th July 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bar at ‘rock bottom’, declares Browne – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 10th, 2009 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

“The morale of the publicly funded bar is at ‘rock bottom’ and careers advisers are telling would-be barristers to steer clear of legal aid, according to the bar’s chief.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th July 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Children to Tell Parliament What Cuts in Legal Representation Mean for their Chances in the Family Justice System – The Bar Council

Posted July 8th, 2009 in children, family courts, legal aid, press releases by sally

“Parliamentarians, family barristers and children’s charities will today continue their discussions on vulnerable children and the law.  At a meeting in Parliament, chaired by Lord Thomas of Gresford QC, speakers from the Family Law Bar Association, Association of Lawyers for Children and the NSPCC, among others, will consider the dramatic impact that proposed cuts to family legal aid will have on vulnerable children and families.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 7th July 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Cross-Party Group to Hear Concerns Over Future of Lawyers Doing Publicly Funded Work – The Bar Council

Posted July 8th, 2009 in legal aid, legal profession, press releases by sally

“An influential all-party group of MPs and Peers will today hear wide-ranging concerns voiced regarding the future supply of lawyers with the skills to do publicly funded work in the justice system.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 6th July 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk