Grayling probation changes led to ‘expensive merry-go-round’, says report – The Guardian

‘Offenders have been locked in an “expensive merry-go-round” by a key plank of Chris Grayling’s disastrous probation overhaul, which has failed to reduce reoffending, a watchdog has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Us Too? Bullying and Harassment in the Legal Profession – International Bar Association

‘The legal profession has a problem. In 2018, the International Bar Association (IBA) and market research company Acritas conducted the largest-ever global survey on bullying and sexual harassment in the profession. Nearly 7,000 individuals from 135 countries responded to the survey, from across the spectrum of legal workplaces: law firms, in-house, barristers’ chambers, government and the judiciary. The results provide empirical confirmation that bullying and sexual harassment are rife in the legal profession.’

Full press release

International Bar Association, 15th May 2019

Source: www.ibanet.org/Default.aspx

Solicitors call for more full-time employment judges – Litigation Futures

‘Employment tribunals are being forced to rush in part-time judges in order to try to clear the growing backlog of cases waiting to be heard, a specialist law firm has claimed.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 15th May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lone parents lose benefits cap challenge at supreme court – The Guardian

‘The UK’s highest court has rejected a legal challenge to the benefit cap made by campaigners who argued that it discriminated against single parents with young children.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘I was sworn at and told I was useless’: law’s problem with bullying at work – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2019 in barristers, bullying, law firms, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘A recent survey has revealed experiences of aggressive behaviour and incivility from bosses and colleagues.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Probation will be renationalised after disastrous Grayling reforms – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2019 in contracting out, news, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics by sally

‘The supervision of all offenders in the community is to be undertaken by the state in a major renationalisation of the probation sector, just five years after Chris Grayling introduced a widely derided programme of privatisation while justice secretary.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘We want to make it more accessible’: a guide to the new-look bar course – The Guardian

Posted May 15th, 2019 in barristers, fees, inns of court, internet, legal education, news, statistics by sally

‘The exam for barrister trainees could be about to change. Here’s all students need to know about the planned new course.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Payday loan complaints reach five year high – BBC News

‘Complaints against payday lenders have soared to a five year high, the industry watchdog has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Number of British paedophiles may be far higher than thought – The Guardian

‘The number of Britons with a sexual interest in children may be seven times higher than previously thought, the head of the National Crime Agency has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family President to issue guidance to courts on secure accommodation placements and statutory regime – Local Government Lawyer

‘The President of the Family Division has said he will issue practice guidance to the courts before the end of July so that more can be done to bring secure accommodation placements within the statutory regulatory scheme.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th May 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Bullying and sexual harassment rife among lawyers, global survey finds – The Guardian

‘Bullying and sexual harassment are rife in the legal profession, according to a global survey that identifies Britain as somewhere such behaviour is prevalent.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Private jails more violent than public ones, data analysis shows – The Guardian

‘Private prisons are more violent than public jails, according to data analysis that raises questions over the government’s plans to pursue its prisons-for-profit model.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Demand for commercial courts hits new peak as competition circles – Litigation Futures

Posted May 10th, 2019 in brexit, Commercial Court, courts, jurisdiction, London, news, statistics by sally

‘The number of commercial cases heard in London grew significantly last year, according to new research which highlights the difficulties for new international courts to challenge the UK’s position post-Brexit.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 8th May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Written pupillage agreements to reduce “inappropriate behaviour” – Legal Futures

‘Making written pupillage agreements compulsory could reduce the risk of pupil barristers being subjected to “inappropriate behaviour”, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said.
It signalled the move in an informal consultation that also proposes to make it compulsory for chambers and other training providers to bring their pupillage recruitment timetables into line with the Pupillage Gateway.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rape victims demand a say in official review of criminal justice failings – The Guardian

‘Victims’ organisations are to press for closer involvement in the government’s review of falling rape prosecutions, warning that complainants’ credibility and sexual history are increasingly being made the focus of trials.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Abuse of MPs hitting unprecedented levels, says Met police chief – The Guardian

Posted May 9th, 2019 in brexit, harassment, news, parliament, police, statistics by tracey

‘Criminal abuse and harassment of MPs are running at unprecedented levels, reflecting “polarised opinions” in the aftermath of the Brexit vote, Britain’s most powerful police officer told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. The warning from Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police chief, was accompanied by official statistics showing that the number of crimes committed against MPs had more than doubled to 342 in 2018 from 151 the year before.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Assisted suicide: Paul Lamb renews bid for right to die – BBC News

‘A man who lives with chronic and excruciating pain has begun a fresh legal challenge to the law that criminalises assisted suicide.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office abandons six-month target for asylum claim decisions – The Guardian

‘The Home Office is scrapping its target of processing most asylum claims within six months, the Guardian has learned. Human rights lawyers expressed alarm at the news, saying the number of vulnerable asylum seekers facing delays in having their claims processed could become even worse than its current level.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales ‘too low’ says watchdog – The Independent

‘The low age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is putting children at risk during crucial years of their development, the human rights watchdog has warned. In an unprecedented move, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called on lawmakers to raise the age at which a child can be deemed responsible for committing a crime – currently at 10.’

Full Story

The Independent, 6th May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police ‘overwhelmed’ by child sex abuse image cases call for new approach as thousands of paedophiles seek help – The Independent

‘Police leaders have called for a new approach to the rising number of people who view child sex abuse images online, as thousands of paedophiles seek help to stop their behaviour.’

Full Story

The Independent, 6th May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk