Family members taking on vulnerable children to receive better legal support – Ministry of Justice

‘Extended family members seeking to provide long-term, stable care for vulnerable children will be able to access free legal advice, thanks to new government investment announced today (30 April 2023).’

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Ministry of Justice, 1st May 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Legal aid widened but grandparents ‘will fall through justice gap’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The scope of legal aid has been widened to family and friends applying to look after a vulnerable child – however, the Law Society says the changes do not go far enough.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 2nd May 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ethics and access: striking the right balance – Bar Standards Board

‘What is an ethical lawyer? Should an ethical lawyer steer clear of certain clients on public interest grounds? And should the regulator police the profession’s choice of client?’

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Bar Standards Board, 28th April 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Firm ordered to pay ex-client £400k for negligent divorce advice – Legal Futures

‘A law firm that narrowed the scope of its retainer after a divorcing woman negotiated her own financial settlement was nonetheless negligent in failing to give her advice on the deal, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 24th April 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society: Climate change a “valid” reason to reject clients – Legal Futures

‘Climate-related issues may be “valid considerations” for law firms in deciding whether to act for potential clients, the Law Society has said.’

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Legal Futures, 19th April 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Owen v Black Horse Limited [2023] EWCA Civ 325 – No Strike Out Despite the Claimant’s Absence at Trial – Pump Court Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal has interpreted the rules for non-attendance on the small claims track in a manner consistent with rule 39.3 in finding that an absent Claimant nevertheless “appeared” at his trial, through his legal representative.’

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Pump Court Chambers, 29th March 2023

Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com

Judge excoriates “shameless” family case with costs of £5.5m – Legal Futures

‘A family court judge has described a case where the two parties racked up costs of £5.5m as “one of the most shameless pieces of litigation” he has ever seen.’

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Legal Futures, 20th March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court ruling expected to widen scope of legal aid for parents – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The High Court’s decision in a challenge brought by a domestic abuse complainant against the Ministry of Justice will widen the scope of legal aid for parents who share caring arrangements, a public law campaign group has said.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 9th March 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK mother unlawfully denied legal aid in case against abusive ex, court rules – The Guardian

‘A decision to deny a single mother legal aid to enforce a child custody agreement against her abusive ex-partner was unlawful, the high court has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 9th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal rejects claim by mother Family Court should not have made placement order after her lawyers withdrew at advanced stage – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Family Court did not act unfairly when a judge refused to adjourn an adoption case when the mother’s solicitors withdrew at a late stage, the Court of Appeal had decided.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th March 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Domestic abuse victims ‘still being cross-examined by alleged perpetrator’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Victims of domestic abuse are still being cross-examined by alleged perpetrators in the family courts despite the “appalling practice” being banned by the Domestic Abuse Act, women’s charities and solicitors have told the lord chancellor.

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th February 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoJ: Number of unrepresented claimants is not measure of OIC success – Legal Futures

‘The fact that fewer than 10% of claimants use the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal without legal representation does not mean the system has failed to deliver, the government said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 30th November 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Deputy High Court judge calls for non-means assessed legal aid for parents involved in deprivation of liberty proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘There is a compelling case for parents involved in deprivation of liberty proceedings to be treated the same as respondents in care proceedings when it comes to the provision of legal aid, a Deputy High Court Judge has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th October 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Parents of dying baby “should have had adjournment” after lawyers withdrew – Legal Futures

Posted September 13th, 2022 in adjournment, children, hospitals, legal aid, legal representation, medical treatment, news by tracey

‘A High Court judge was wrong to refuse an adjournment sought by parents of a brain-damaged baby who lost their legal representation shortly before a hearing on withdrawing treatment, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 13th September 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Immigrants And Asylum Seekers Locked In Cells For Up To 24 hrs Without Legal Representation – Each Other

Posted August 31st, 2022 in asylum, detention, immigration, legal representation, news, prisons by sally

‘People held in Immigration Removal Centres (IRC) have long been entitled to 30 minutes of free immigration legal advice but this does not extend to people held under the immigration act in prisons.’

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Each Other, 30th August 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Solicitors’ agents and rights of audience – appeal decision – Nearly Legal

‘This is an issue that has come up here a few times (eg this post and this post) – the rights of audience of people who do not have a right of audience in their own right, but attend hearings to carry out advocacy. Now we have a County Court detailed appeal decision on the issue (not binding, but as an appeal to a circuit judge, of persuasive value).’

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Nearly Legal, 7th August 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

BSB to probe if solicitors give clients choice when instructing barristers – Legal futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is to gather evidence from solicitors on how they choose a barrister, including whether they offer their clients a choice – or even take account of a client’s views.’

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Legal Futures, 14th July 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

News focus: Divorcing couples are increasingly seeking joint representation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 12th, 2022 in divorce, legal representation, legal services, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Separating couples are increasingly asking to be represented by the same solicitor. Those involved believe this “one lawyer” service could be the future – and not just for family law.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th July 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘The worst law on earth’: why the rich love London’s reputation managers – The Guardian

‘Boris Johnson has vowed to level the playing field on which oligarchs stifle those who scrutinise them. How can he do it?’

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The Guardian, 8th June 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Landlord loses court battle with local authority over costs agreement reached by his counsel – Local Government Lawyer

‘A cost agreement cannot be undone simply because one party claimed to have stopped instructing the barrister concerned.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th May 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk