Making legal aid fairer for taxpayers – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 10th, 2013 in budgets, consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Plans to boost public confidence in the legal aid system and tackle towering bills have today been put out to consultation by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.”

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Ministry of Justice, 9th April 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

‘Unbundling’ the new craze as lawyer-backed family mediation service launches – Legal Futures

Posted March 18th, 2013 in dispute resolution, divorce, fees, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“A lawyer-backed service that supports divorcing couples during mediation, charging fixed fees to halve the cost, is being billed as a possible lifeline for family legal aid lawyers after 1 April.”

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Legal Futures, 18th March 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal aid cuts force closure of almost a third of Shelter offices – The Guardian

“Cuts to legal aid are forcing the closure of almost a third of Shelter’s housing advice centres and compelling the Red Cross to abandon its assistance for family reunions, the organisations claim.”

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The Guardian, 11th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family of royal hoax suicide nurse denied legal aid for inquest – The Independent

Posted March 7th, 2013 in families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news, suicide by sally

“The family of the nurse who apparently took her own life after answering the Duchess of Cambridge hoax call has been denied legal aid for her inquest, The Independent can disclose.”

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The Independent, 7th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

JR reaction: “a dark day” for accident victims, says APIL – Litigation Futures

Posted March 4th, 2013 in accidents, fees, judicial review, legal representation, news, road safety, victims by sally

“The High Court’s rejection of the challenge to the RTA portal fee cut represents ‘a dark day’ for accident victims, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has claimed.”

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Litigation Futures, 4th March 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

No cash from the UK to avoid Indonesian firing squad – UK Human Rights Blog

“In this highly publicised case, the Administrative Court has come up with some firm criteria for the scope of the Convention’s protective reach for UK citizens abroad. The judgment is also something of a body blow for those who are looking to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms for a wider human rights umbrella.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th February 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

A new approach: access to justice in criminal cases – LegalVoice

“Anyone concerned over the need to check the power of the police and prosecution authorities by providing a counter-balance holding these state funded entities to account may find this paper helpful, writes Robin Murray. It is a proposal to save millions of pounds of tax-payers’ money whilst at the same time preserving independent access to justice, an essential pre-requisite to prevent abuse and injustice to which anyone of us, high or low can become a victim.”

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LegalVoice, 5th February 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Bali drugs: UK government accused of breaching Lindsay Sandiford’s rights – The Guardian

“The government’s failure to provide an ‘adequate’ lawyer to represent a British woman sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug smuggling is a breach of her rights, the high court has been told.”

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The Guardian, 31st January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More legal aid cuts will lead to poor relying on ‘second best’ lawyers – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2013 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Poor defendants in criminal cases will be condemned to be represented by ‘second best’ lawyers under proposals to slash the costs of legal aid, the chair of the Bar Council has warned.”

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The Guardian, 21st January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminals should not be allowed to hire expensive lawyers, Chris Grayling says – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 21st, 2013 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Criminals should not be allowed to hire the most expensive lawyers when taxpayers are covering their legal costs, the Justice Secretary has said.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina (Crown Prosecution Service) v Bolton Crown Court – WLR Daily

Regina (Crown Prosecution Service) v Bolton Crown Court [2012] EWHC 3570 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 13

“The Crown Court had no power under regulation 3 of the Costs in Criminal Cases Regulations 1986, made under section 19(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, to make a costs order against a party to criminal proceedings in favour of another party’s counsel.”

WLR Daily, January 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

The Low Commission: ‘no magic solution’ – LegalVoice

Posted January 16th, 2013 in budgets, consultations, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“The Low Commission on the Future of Advice and Legal Support will take evidence over the next year on the impact of the government’s funding cuts, writes Vicky Ling. The Commission will focus on social welfare law covering advice and legal representation on law relating to asylum, benefits, community care, debt, employment, housing, immigration and other areas of public law, such as special educational needs and judicial review.”

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LegalVoice, 15th January 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Unmeritorious appeals ‘clogging the arteries’ of CoA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 12th, 2012 in appeals, budgets, courts, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Increasing numbers of ‘unmeritorious’ appeals could have the effect of ‘clogging the arteries’ of the court of appeal, the registrar of criminal appeals has warned.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 11th December 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Autonomy and the role of the Official Solicitor – whose interests are really being represented? – UK Human Rights Blog

“The day before our seminar on the Court of Protection and the right to autonomy, the Strasbourg Court has ruled on a closely related issue in a fascinating challenge to the role of the Official Solicitor in making decisions on behalf of individuals who are for one reason or another unable to act for themselves.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 10th October 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Thousands denied right to independent mental health advocates – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2012 in legal representation, mental health, news by sally

“People who are detained under the Mental Health Act, or subject to a community treatment order (CTO) have a legal right to access someone who can stand alongside them and help them speak up; an independent mental health advocate (IMHA).”

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The Guardian, 4th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A culture of disbelief – LegalVoice

Posted July 5th, 2012 in asylum, immigration, legal representation, news, women by sally

“Lawyers who deal with asylum claims are likely to be thin on the ground as a result of the legal aid cuts and the consequences for women asylum-seekers, in particular, will be ‘catastrophic’, charities have warned – writes Elizabeth Davidson.”

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LegalVoice, 4th July 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Cost disputes set to soar post-Jackson, survey predicts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2012 in costs, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Costs disputes between solicitors and their clients will become more common once the Jackson reforms are implemented, according to a survey of specialist costs lawyers published today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers seizing lion’s share of payouts in NHS negligence cases – Daily Telegraph

“Lawyers who sue the NHS in medical negligence cases are earning from the state up to 30 times the amount their clients win in damages, it can be disclosed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

July 21 failed suicide bombers fight conviction – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 12th, 2012 in appeals, evidence, human rights, legal representation, news, terrorism by sally

“Three of the July 21 failed suicide bombers are using the European Court of Human Rights to try and overturn their convictions, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.”

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Daily Telegraph, 12th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ready or Not…: Ground 8 and Potential Public Law Defences – Hardwicke Chambers

“It’s a scene which will be familiar to many housing law practitioners: a tenant turns up to a possession hearing, seeks representation from the duty solicitor, seeks to argue that there are issues of disability discrimination and human rights issues which make it necessary for proceedings to be adjourned, detailed directions to be given and a lengthy wait before arguments on the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 can be thrashed out in depth at a possession hearing.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 31st May 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk