Injunctions, evictions and unrepresented parties – Nearly Legal

Posted September 17th, 2019 in housing, injunctions, landlord & tenant, legal representation, news, repossession by tracey

‘Brown v Tyndale (2019) QBD (Robert Francis QC) 25/07/2019. The kind of thing that happens when neither party is represented…’

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Nearly Legal, 15th September 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Legal charities urge government to delay whiplash reforms – Legal Futures

‘Four leading legal charities have urged the government to delay next year’s whiplash reforms over fears that litigants in person and the organisations supporting them will be overwhelmed by the new regime.’

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Legal Futures, 13th August 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Improving Access to Justice: Community-based Solutions – Asian Journal of Legal Education

Posted August 5th, 2019 in equality, legal representation, legal services, pro bono work, reports by tracey

‘Inaccessibility to justice is a major issue internationally, and in some countries access to justice has decreased in recent years. For example, the growth of inequality and decline of state support have left access to justice in the UK and the US in a worst state in decades. There is therefore an urgent need to find solutions to protect peoples’ rights. This paper outlines key issues of access to justice, and identifies a number of solutions – from grass-root efforts to organizational changes. The paper highlights the importance of community-based solutions, such as mass pro bono contributions from individuals, law service providers and
other organizations.”

Full text

Asian Journal of Legal Education, May 2019

Source: https://research.gold.ac.uk/

UK’s top judge calls for donations to legal support charity – The Guardian

Posted July 29th, 2019 in budgets, charities, family courts, judges, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

‘The UK’s most senior judge has appealed for people to give money to a charity whose volunteers support those who become embroiled in civil court cases but cannot afford a lawyer.’

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The Guardian, 28th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

First Bar Standards Board ABS closes down – Legal Futures

‘The first alternative business structure (ABS) licensed by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) – a combination of barristers and football agents – has shut down, Legal Futures can reveal.’

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Legal Futures, 28th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Charity pours scorn on quality of immigration detainees’ advice – Legal Futures

‘Legal representation for immigration detainees is very poor, including the quality of advice given by solicitors, according to a charity that challenges detention in removal centres and prisons.’

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

When Parental Alienation Crosses into the Criminal Jurisdiction – Family Law Week

‘June Venters QC, of Venters Solicitors and Lamb Building, discusses the implications when issues of parental alienation arise in criminal proceedings.’

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Family Law Week, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

UN highlights role of legal aid cuts in “immiseration” of millions – Legal Futures

‘The decimation of legal aid has contributed to “the systematic immiseration of millions across Great Britain”, the UN’s expert on poverty and human rights said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Voices of children overlooked in family courts, says ex-head – BBC News

‘Family courts in England and Wales are not properly accommodating children’s voices and needs because the government has suggested “it would all cost too much”, their former head has said.’

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BBC News, 16th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court service starts another video hearing pilot running – Legal Futures

‘A pilot enabling domestic abuse victims to take part in hearings by video link from a computer in their solicitor’s office has begun running in Manchester.’

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Legal Futures, 10th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lady Hale at the Legal Action Group, London – Supreme Court

‘Legal Aid at 70.’

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Supreme Court, 5th April 2019

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Spending on jail staff legal fees 46-times more than for bereaved – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2019 in bereavement, fees, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news, prisons, statistics by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice spent £4.2m representing prison officers at inquests, while paying out only £92,000 in legal aid for bereaved families at hearings that examine deaths in prison, according to newly released figures.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ched Evans reaches settlement with lawyers over rape case – BBC News

Posted April 11th, 2019 in compensation, law firms, legal representation, news, rape, retrials by sally

‘Ched Evans has reached an out-of-court settlement with his original defence team over their handling of the case where he was found guilty of rape.’

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BBC News, 10th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Unrepresented PI litigants to receive “expert view” on claims – Legal Futures

‘Unrepresented personal injury (PI) claimants under the new whiplash regime will have paid-for access to an “independent view” of their claim, the Ministry of Justice has revealed.’

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Legal Futures, 1st April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Fury over MoJ ‘betrayal’ on legal aid at inquests – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Ministry of Justice has been accused of betraying those campaigning to ensure an equality of arms between bereaved families and the state at inquests.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th February 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid advice network ‘decimated’ by funding cuts – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2018 in budgets, housing, legal aid, legal representation, litigants in person, news, statistics by sally

‘Cuts to legal aid have created “deserts” of provision across England and Wales, a BBC investigation found.’

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BBC News, 10th December 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government-commissioned review recommends legal aid for bereaved families – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government has announced that it will introduce a new mental health bill following today’s publication of the findings of an independent review into the Mental Health Act 1983. However it is silent on the review’s recommendation that bereaved families should receive non-means tested legal aid – despite already pledging to accept two other recommendations.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th December 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Divorce is not a “blank cheque” for litigation, judge warns – Legal Futures

Posted November 27th, 2018 in costs, divorce, financial provision, indemnities, legal representation, news by tracey

‘Litigation is not a “blank cheque” and divorcing people cannot behave on the basis that they are bound to be reimbursed for their costs, a leading family law judge has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Litigants in Person – an inherent problem with the justice system – Family Law Week

Posted November 21st, 2018 in budgets, legal aid, legal representation, litigants in person, news, statistics by tracey

‘Matthew Richardson, barrister at Coram chambers considers the fundamental problem with re-shaping our justice system around a huge increase in litigants in person, caused by the removal of legal aid provision from most cases.’

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Family Law Week, 9th November 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Bereaved family say they need £50,000 to pay for legal representation at inquest – The Guardian

Posted October 11th, 2018 in bereavement, costs, fees, inquests, legal representation, news by sally

‘The parents of a vulnerable student who took her own life at a university where there has been a series of deaths have spoken of the difficulty of ensuring there is a fair and transparent investigation because they are struggling to match the legal firepower of other parties involved.’

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The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com