Cuts to legal aid are an attack on working class, says ’80s miners’ lawyer – The Independent

Posted August 5th, 2013 in budgets, equality, legal aid, miners, news, police by sally

“A leading civil-rights lawyer who helped striking miners successfully fight false accusations from police during the infamous ‘Battle of Orgreave’ has said it would now be much harder for them to achieve justice under the Government’s legal aid reforms.”

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The Independent, 4th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Surviving LASPO: ‘Be creative, be out there’ – LegalVoice

“Now that legal aid is diminished, is it possible to find new sources of public funding for legal advice? Yes, if you work at it, writes Sue Bent.”

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LegalVoice, 31st July 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

John Stanton: The General Power of Competence and Reshaping Local Public Service Provision – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted July 30th, 2013 in budgets, government departments, local government, news by sally

“I wrote back in March about the way in which, despite efforts to decentralise autonomy to the local level and to inspire and empower citizens to get involved in local politics, Central Government seems reluctant to ‘let go’ and to give local authorities a free rein in relation to the exercise of local powers. New neighbourhood planning measures provided suitable example.”

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UK Constitutional Law Group, 27th July 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Judicial review funding cuts may leave vulnerable teenagers at risk – The Guardian

Posted July 29th, 2013 in budgets, judicial review, news, social services, young persons by sally

“Hundreds of vulnerable teenagers will be at risk of harm or falling into prostitution under government plans to restrict judicial review, lawyers specialising in actions against local authorities have warned.”

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The Guardian, 29th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Retired appeal judge slams ‘substandard’ aid cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 29th, 2013 in budgets, consultations, judges, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“Government proposals to restrict legal aid for judicial review will turn the clock back 50 years and perpetrate ‘significant and damaging injustice’, a retired Court of Appeal judge has warned.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Beware the overriding objective! – New Law Journal

Posted July 23rd, 2013 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news, proportionality by tracey

“Dominic Regan calls attention to the revised CPR 1.”

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New Law Journal, 22nd July 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Legal aid reforms could undermine fundamental principles of justice, warns CPS – The Independent

“Government plans to reform legal aid for criminal suspects could undermine the fundamental principles of justice in England and Wales, the official prosecuting body has suggested.”

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The Independent, 16th July 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Surviving LASPO conference: ‘imperative’ that next government has advice strategy – LegalVoice

Posted July 17th, 2013 in appeals, benefits, budgets, legal aid, legal services, local government, news by sally

“A single helpline to act as ‘a safety net’ for those who can not find legal help and a £100m national advice fund, are likely to be two of more eye-catching recommendations of the Low Commission on the Future of Advice and Legal Support reports Jon Robins.”

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LegalVoice, 17th July 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Police take longer to respond to 999 calls as spending cuts bite – The Guardian

Posted July 15th, 2013 in budgets, delay, news, police, statistics by sally

“Police are taking up to 30% longer than two years ago to react to 999 calls in parts of the country, with forces blaming deep spending cuts. Vital minutes have been added to the time it takes for a squad car to arrive at an accident or crime scene, an investigation can reveal.”

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The Guardian, 14th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cost of practising as a solicitor to rise sharply – Legal Futures

“The cost of practising as a solicitor is set to rise at a rate of more than four times inflation, if the Law Society’s council approves figures that will be put before it later this week.”

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Legal Futures, 8th July 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

How has the NHS been changed by the Health and Social Care Act 2012? – No. 5 Chambers

Posted July 3rd, 2013 in budgets, competition, doctors, health, hospitals, lectures, medical treatment by sally

“The purpose of this lecture is to attempt to look at the big themes in healthcare law in order to understand how the legal structure of the NHS has changed as a result of the passing and almost complete implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Inevitably there are other factors that change the NHS at the same time and I will attempt to weave in these other factors at an appropriate place.”

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No. 5 Chambers, 26th June 2013

Source: www.no5.com

Bar Council Chairman: We will not facilitate a scheme which will wreck the criminal justice system – The Bar Council

Posted July 3rd, 2013 in barristers, budgets, competition, criminal justice, legal aid, news, tenders by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today stated that it has no plans to develop a quality system to facilitate price competitive tendering (PCT) for criminal legal aid. The Bar Council believes that real quality is based on choice of service providers, not price alone, on which the Government’s model is based. The Bar Council’s response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation clearly sets out its position on this issue.”

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The Bar Council, 5th June 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Getting active! – New Law Journal

“HH Simon Brown QC continues his exclusive NLJ online series on costs management post-Jackson.”

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New Law Journal, 2nd July 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Specialist courts under microscope on costs budgeting – Law Society’s Gazette

“Exempting mandatory costs budgeting for claims in excess of £2m may be ‘unnecessary and inappropriate’, a newly established sub-group of the Civil Procedure Rule committee has suggested.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judges look again at £2m claims exemption – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 27th, 2013 in budgets, civil procedure rules, consultations, costs, news by sally

“Exempting mandatory costs budgeting for claims in excess of £2m may be ‘unnecessary and inappropriate’, a newly established sub-group of the Civil Procedure Rule committee has suggested.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 26th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal Aid Question Time – The Bar Council

Posted June 26th, 2013 in budgets, legal aid, legal profession, news, tenders by sally

Video

The Bar Council, 25th June 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Costs budgets- revisions and indemnity costs – 4 New Square

Posted June 26th, 2013 in amendments, budgets, costs, indemnities, news by sally

“On 14 June 2013 in Elvanite Full Circle Ltd v AMEC Earth & Environmental (UK) Ltd [2013] EWHC 1643 (TCC) Mr Justice Coulson handed down another important judgment on the application of the new costs management rules (in CPR r.3.15- r.3.18), albeit his decision relates to the Costs Management in Mercantile Courts and Technology and Construction Courts – Pilot Scheme (‘PD 51G’). In particular, Coulson J considered (i) the impact of an order for costs on the indemnity basis; (ii) what a party needs to do to seek approval of a revised costs budget; (iii) when a party should make an application for such approval; and (iv) what test the court applies on such an application. Coulson J’s findings are highlighted in bold below.”

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4 New Square, 25th June 2013

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Lord Judge’s correspondence with Chris Grayling on court privatisation – the full text – The Guardian

Posted June 26th, 2013 in budgets, courts, judiciary, legal profession, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“Read a copy of the letter that the lord chief justice sent to the justice secretary warning him not to undermine judicial independence.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘This is astonishing stuff’: Split over legal aid shake-up goes right to the top – The Independent

Posted June 24th, 2013 in barristers, budgets, consultations, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“The Government’s plans to shake up legal aid have received a chilly response from its most senior law officer, signalling deep divisions among ministers over the controversial moves.”

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The Independent, 21st June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will drive out the best lawyers, supreme court president warns – The Guardian

“Reforms may not produce significant savings as it would result in more unrepresented litigants and longer hearings, says Lord Neuberger.”

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The Guardian, 18th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk