Court of Appeal: Judge wrong to jail unrepresented woman for contempt – Litigation Futures

Posted August 31st, 2018 in contempt of court, legal representation, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A judge was wrong to jail an unrepresented woman for contempt of court without giving her more time to find a lawyer, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 30th August 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Leave.EU parts ways with Mishcon de Reya amid legal challenge – The Guardian

Posted August 7th, 2018 in elections, expenses, law firms, legal representation, news, referendums by sally

‘The elite London law firm Mishcon de Reya and Arron Banks’ pro-Brexit Leave.EU campaign have parted ways in the midst of Leave.EU’s legal challenge to a ruling it broke electoral law, the Guardian has learned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government seeks views on legal aid for inquests – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 19th, 2018 in consultations, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, press releases by tracey

‘Justice Minister Lucy Frazer today announced the launch of a call for evidence to consider the need for legal representation during inquests.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 19th July 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Facing up to it – Nearly Legal

‘Kamara v London Borough Of Southwark (2018) EWCA Civ 1616. In Makisi & Ors v Birmingham City Council (2011) EWCA Civ 355 (our report), the Court of Appeal decided that the right to make ‘oral submissions’ in response to a ‘minded to’ letter under 8(2) of the 1999 Review Procedures Regulations meant a right to request ‘face to face’ advocacy in making representations. In these three joined appeals, the sole issue was whether this meant that the ‘minded to’ to letter had to specify the right to a face to face meeting for representations.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 15th July 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Carl Sargeant family say they are being excluded from inquiry – The Guardian

‘The family of Carl Sargeant have claimed they are being excluded from an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his sacking as a Welsh minister four days before he took his own life.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Representation of children in public law proceedings – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 18th, 2018 in children, guardianship, legal representation, news by tracey

‘Children subject to public law cases are usually represented by both a publicly-funded legal representative and a Cafcass guardian, known as the ‘tandem model’ of representation. This research explored how this model is working in practice during public law proceedings, and whether any reforms to the model are feasible or appropriate to ensure the rights of the child are safeguarded, efficient judicial case management is supported and public resources are effectively allocated.’

Full text

Ministry of Justice, 17th May 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Criminal defence lawyers face “extinction” as profession unites to fight for justice system – Legal Futures

Posted April 18th, 2018 in criminal justice, legal representation, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘Criminal defence lawyers in England and Wales could become “extinct”, the Law Society has warned on the back of data showing that this is an increasingly ageing part of the profession.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th April 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Latitude for litigants in person? Apparently not (just about…) – Zenith Chambers

‘On 21 February 2018 judgment was given in the case of Barton -v- Wright Hassall LLP [2018] UKSC 12.’

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Zenith Chambers, 26th February 2018

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

‘It shames us to have families go on Twitter and crowdfund representation at inquests’ – Legal Voice

Posted March 14th, 2018 in death in custody, inquests, legal representation, news, restraint by sally

‘Two families bereaved by state-related deaths told MPs about their experiences at inquests last week. The House of Commons’ joint committee on human rights heard evidence from the parents of Connor Sparrowhawk, who drowned in a bath in a residential unit for people with learning disabilities, and Joseph Phuong who died following restraint by police during a mental health crisis. Jon Robins reports’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 13th March 2018

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Give paralegals rights of audience “so they can do more legal aid work” – Legal Futures

Posted January 4th, 2018 in legal aid, legal representation, news, paralegals, rights of audience by sally

‘Paralegals should be given rights of audience to enable them to do more legal aid work, an academic has argued.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 4th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lammy review: MoJ rejects judicial diversity targets, cautious on choice of duty solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted December 20th, 2017 in diversity, judiciary, legal representation, minorities, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has rejected the idea of diversity targets for the judiciary and magistracy in its response to the Lammy review of the treatment of black and minority ethnic (BAME) people in the criminal justice system.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th December 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rise of LiPs “key challenge for family lawyers and courts system” – Legal Futures

‘The rise in the number of litigants-in-person in the family courts since the 2013 legal aid reforms has topped a poll of the causes of discontent among family law practitioners for the fifth year running.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 15th December 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

A quick chat with the police – or an interview? You need a lawyer – Legal Voice

Posted December 11th, 2017 in consultations, criminal justice, legal representation, news, police interviews by sally

‘When the police investigate a criminal offence, it may not be necessary to formally arrest a suspect. In the past, it would be common practice that those being questioned by the police were arrested. Now, with the introduction of the 28-day bail limit, it is becoming a more accepted method for the police to question suspects by way of a ‘voluntary interview’.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 8th December 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Dramatic decline in access to legal help for immigration detainees, reports charity – Legal Voice

Posted December 7th, 2017 in detention, immigration, law centres, legal representation, news, reports by sally

‘The number of immigration detainees with no access to legal representation while in detention has tripled in the past few months, a new survey published by the immigration detention charity BID has indicated.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 6th December 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Injustice in Immigration Detention – The Bar Council

Posted December 1st, 2017 in detention, immigration, legal representation, press releases by tracey

‘Migrants held in detention for too long with inadequate access to the courts or to legal help are among a catalogue of problems highlighted by ‘Injustice in Immigration Detention’, an independent report by Dr Anna Lindley of SOAS, published today.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 30th November 2017

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Asylum seekers face appeals ‘lottery’ – BBC News

Posted November 29th, 2017 in appeals, asylum, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

‘Asylum seekers are facing a “lottery” depending on where their appeal is heard, research by the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme has found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Families of 1974 bombings victims turn to crowdfunding after legal aid denied – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 16th, 2017 in costs, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news by tracey

‘A campaign group is seeking funds to pay for a judicial review challenging the terms of reference of an inquest into the deaths of the Birmingham Pub Bombings victims after a request for legal aid was denied. Justice4the21 is asking legal professionals to donate what they can to fund a challenge to a coroner’s decision earlier this year to exclude the issue of who was responsible for the 1974 bombings.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 15th November 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Official review backs ‘Hillsborough law’ proposals – The Guardian

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in bereavement, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news, reports by tracey

‘An official review of the Hillsborough families’ 27-year ordeal since the 1989 disaster has recommended that bereaved families must have funding for full legal representation at inquests where public authorities are represented.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hundreds of thousands can’t get legal aid – so where are they going for help? – Legal Voice

Posted October 30th, 2017 in legal aid, legal representation, legal services, legislation, news, statistics by sally

‘Hundreds of thousands of people have not been able to get legal aid since the introduction of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) in 2013.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 26th October 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Senior judge warns over ‘shaming’ impact of legal aid cuts – The Guardian

‘One of the most senior family court judges has warned about the impact of legal aid cuts and said it was “shaming” to preside over cases in which individuals are forced to represent themselves.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com