Warning shot for BSB after it axes Legal Choices funding – Legal Futures

Posted November 5th, 2019 in barristers, budgets, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has issued a thinly veiled warning to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) over the need to invest “substantially” in consumer information after its controversial decision to withdraw from funding Legal Choices.’

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Legal Futures, 5th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chaotic court system threatens justice for vulnerable, say MPs – The Guardian

‘The most vulnerable in society are at risk of being excluded from access to justice due to poor digital skills, lack of legal advice, court closures and “dilapidated” courthouses, MPs have warned in a damning critique of the government’s modernisation programmes.’

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The Guardian, 31st October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prisons in England and Wales are facing a safety crisis, warn MPs – The Guardian

Posted October 31st, 2019 in budgets, health & safety, news, prisons by sally

‘The prison system in England and Wales is in an “appalling” state of crisis, lacking decency or security and no clear plan for desperately needed change, MPs have warned in a report that raises questions over the government’s pledges on prisons ahead of an election.’

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The Guardian, 31st October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Gilham v Ministry of Justice: A New Chapter in Employment Protection? – Cloisters

‘The Supreme Court has delivered its decision in the landmark case of Gilham v Ministry of Justice. In conferring the right to pursue whistleblowing complaints on judges – and for that matter all office-holders – it has opened a new frontier for the role of the European Convention of Human Rights in employment disputes.’

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Cloisters, 16th October 2019

Source: www.cloisters.com

Whistleblowing judges: protected by human rights? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The UK Supreme Court has unanimously granted an appeal by a district judge against the Court of Appeal’s decision that she did not qualify as a “worker” under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (the “1996 Act”), and therefore could not benefit from the whistleblowing protections it conferred.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th October 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Courts chief: closures weren’t based on “real travelling times” – Legal Futures

Posted October 17th, 2019 in budgets, courts, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, transport by sally

‘Many court closures in the past have not been based on the real travelling times it would take people to get to an alternative building, the chief executive of HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has admitted.’

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Legal Futures, 17th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New Judgment: Gilham v Ministry of Justice [2019] UKSC 44 – UKSC Blog

‘The issue in the appeal was whether a District Judge qualifies as a ‘worker’ or a ‘person in Crown employment’ for the purpose of the protection given to whistle-blowers under Part IVA of the Employment Rights Act 1996. If not, was this discrimination against her in the enjoyment of her right to freedom of expression, protected by article 14 taken together with article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights?’

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UKSC Blog, 16th October 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

‘Whistleblowing’ judge wins landmark appeal at Supreme Court – BBC News

‘A judge, who says she was bullied and had a breakdown after speaking out about government cuts, has won a landmark appeal at the Supreme Court.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal orders council to pay cost of attendance of young woman at weekly placement – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled that North East Lincolnshire Council should have paid the cost of a disabled young woman attending a weekly placement, overturning an earlier High Court decision.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Trade union firm faces trade union-organised strike – Legal Futures

Posted October 9th, 2019 in budgets, costs, employment, law firms, news, personal injuries, remuneration, trade unions by sally

‘Leading trade union law firm Thompsons is facing a strike over pay – and pickets lines at its offices across the country – organised by a trade union.’

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Legal Futures, 9th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Children being ‘set up to fail’ on release from custody by authorities, watchdog finds – The Independent

‘Children jailed for criminal offences are being “set up to fail” by authorities who fail to give them the support they need to stop offending, a watchdog has found. Half of the 12 to 17-year-old boys whose cases were examined by HM Inspectorates of Probation and Prisons, were being investigated by police again within three months of being released from young offender institutions.’

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The Independent, 8th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Families lose challenge over special-needs funding – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2019 in budgets, disabled persons, judicial review, news, special educational needs by tracey

‘Three families who challenged the government over its approach to special needs and disability (Send) funding have lost their case at the High Court.’

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BBC News, 7th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

First police force found to be ‘failing’ in all areas as watchdog finds performance worsening across country – The Independent

Posted September 27th, 2019 in budgets, crime prevention, Ministry of Justice, news, ombudsmen, police, standards, statistics by tracey

‘A scandal-hit police force has become the first to be branded “failing” in all areas after inspectors found it was not preventing crime or protecting vulnerable people.’

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The Independent, 27th September 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cut-off between budgeted and incurred costs to be clarified – Litigation Futures

Posted September 19th, 2019 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, drafting, news, practice directions by tracey

‘A change to the CPR coming into force on 1 October should provide clearer guidance on the cut-off between budgeted and incurred costs, it has been argued.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th September 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

77 more courts in England and Wales to close – The Guardian

Posted September 13th, 2019 in budgets, courts, delay, HM Courts Service, live link evidence, news, ombudsmen, statistics by tracey

‘Nearly 80 more courts in England and Wales are due to close under a justice transformation scheme that is falling behind schedule, a watchdog’s report has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 13th September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘VIP abuse’ accuser Carl Beech inquiry to cost Met Police £4m – BBC News

‘An investigation into false claims of murder and child sexual abuse against public figures could cost the Metropolitan Police £4m.’

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BBC News, 4th September 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

SEND reforms have “failed to make system less adversarial for parents” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 4th, 2019 in budgets, children, disabled persons, news, special educational needs by sally

‘A key aim of the SEND (special educational needs and disability) reforms introduced in England five years ago – to make the system feel less adversarial for parents – has not been achieved in relation to children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), it has been claimed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd September 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Costs lawyers “see opportunities” in helping clients challenge bills – Litigation Futures

Posted September 3rd, 2019 in appeals, budgets, costs, news, proportionality, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘A majority of costs lawyers think there is a business opportunity in helping unhappy clients challenge their solicitors’ bills, a survey has found.’

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Litigation Futures, 3rd September 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Budgeting “not inevitable” in catastrophic injury cases – Litigation Futures

‘Costs budgeting is not “inevitable” in high-value injury cases and lawyers should consider whether the best approach may be to dispense with it altogether, a leading practitioner has suggested.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th August 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Costs budgeting is not inevitable – Charlie Cory-Wright QC – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 27th, 2019 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news, personal injuries by sally

‘Generally speaking, we lawyers dislike procedural change. While we may well understand that a particular change is necessary and we will certainly recognise that we need to adapt to it when it comes, such changes nonetheless tend to make us feel ignorant and highly uncomfortable. We have to treat any new procedural regime as a known unknown, which presents pitfalls for the unwary, at least until we become familiar with it. And in the meantime, a culture of half-knowledge develops, an uncertain and dangerous combination of a little learning, anecdote, and false assumptions. This very often leads to negative over-simplification.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, August 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com