No sick pay, no maternity pay: Chancellor targets employers’ tax loophole that damages teachers’ and nurses’ rights – The Independent

Posted March 18th, 2013 in budgets, children, income tax, maternity leave, national insurance, news, sick leave by sally

“A tax loophole which allows firms to dodge around £100 million a year in National Insurance will be closed in the Budget, it was announced.”

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The Independent, 16th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Disabled people in legal bid to save living fund – BBC News

“The High Court is to begin hearing a challenge to government plans to scrap a £320m scheme that helps people with severe disabilities live independently.”

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BBC News, 13th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid cuts force closure of almost a third of Shelter offices – The Guardian

“Cuts to legal aid are forcing the closure of almost a third of Shelter’s housing advice centres and compelling the Red Cross to abandon its assistance for family reunions, the organisations claim.”

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The Guardian, 11th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Right or Wrong? The Court of Appeal causes controversy by finding ‘good reasons’s for Claimant to be allowed to depart from its own costs budget – Zenith Chambers

Posted March 7th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, news, reasons by sally

“On the eve of costs budgeting becoming an integral aspect of multi-track case management, the Court of Appeal has caused controversy by reversing Senior Costs Judge Hirst’s tough decision in Henry v News Group Newspapers (SCCO) 28th May 2012).”

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Zenith Chambers, 12th February 2013

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Bar Council calls for proportionate regulation in response to LSBs Business Plan – The Bar Council

Posted March 6th, 2013 in budgets, legal aid, news, public interest, regulations by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has called for proportionate and financially responsible regulation in its response to the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) draft business plan for 2013-14.”

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The Bar Council, 4th March 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar calls on the LSB to tighten its belt – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 5th, 2013 in barristers, budgets, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The Bar Council has publicly attacked the Legal Services Board for appearing immune from financial pressures affecting the legal profession and government departments.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th March 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Leaked email shows CPS puts cost first, quality second – The Bar Council

Posted February 25th, 2013 in barristers, budgets, Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, along with the Criminal Bar Association and Circuit Leaders have today published evidence that the Crown Prosecution Service (‘CPS’) has adopted deliberate practices not to instruct the correct advocate for a given case if there is a financial interest to the CPS in keeping the work in-house.”

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The Bar Council, 25th February 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

RSPCA could hire ‘experienced criminal barrister’ to review prosecutions, Attorney General suggests – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 25th, 2013 in animals, barristers, budgets, charities, news, private prosecutions, prosecutions by sally

“Britain’s most senior law officer has told the head of the RSPCA that he could consider hiring an experienced criminal lawyer to review the charity’s controversial prosecution policy.”

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

What is a good reason for departing from a mandatory costs budget? A practical view from the Bar – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 15th, 2013 in budgets, costs, defamation, news by sally

“The costs budgeting provisions of the Jackson Report are among the most significant issues facing litigators today. One key concern has been that parties and their legal advisers face having otherwise recoverable costs disallowed if they fail to comply with the requirements concerning costs budgets. Those concerns were heightened by the decision in Sylvia Henry v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2012] EWHC 90218 (Costs) to disallow £268,832 of costs on the grounds that the claimant had failed to comply with rules concerning costs budgeting in PD 51 (see Legal update, Costs management: first decision under Defamation Proceedings Pilot Scheme). Those rules formed part of the Defamation Proceedings Pilot Scheme, on which the case was the first decided authority. The decision was taken to have considerably wider significance because of the similarity between the provisions of that pilot scheme and the main elements of the impending Jackson reforms.”

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Littleton Chambers, 6th February 2013

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Room without review: Thoughts on tackling the bedroom tax – NearlyLegal

Posted February 11th, 2013 in benefits, budgets, disability discrimination, housing, local government, news, rent by sally

“With the beginning of the bedroom tax looming up for April and upwards of 700,000 households affected, I’ve been thinking about the position when the inevitable rent arrears possessions start to appear – probably by about October – and also whether the statute itself is open to challenge.”

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NearlyLegal, 10th February 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

A new approach: access to justice in criminal cases – LegalVoice

“Anyone concerned over the need to check the power of the police and prosecution authorities by providing a counter-balance holding these state funded entities to account may find this paper helpful, writes Robin Murray. It is a proposal to save millions of pounds of tax-payers’ money whilst at the same time preserving independent access to justice, an essential pre-requisite to prevent abuse and injustice to which anyone of us, high or low can become a victim.”

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LegalVoice, 5th February 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Public sector cuts hit judges’ pensions – The Guardian

Posted February 6th, 2013 in bills, budgets, contribution, diversity, judiciary, news, pensions by sally

“Judges have been given figures showing how much they will lose when their tax-free pension allowances are cut in line with government reforms of public sector pay.”

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The Guardian, 6th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Henry solicitor: CA ruling does not undermine Jackson’s costs management reforms – Litigation Futures

Posted February 1st, 2013 in budgets, costs, defamation, news by sally

“The Court of Appeal’s ruling on costs budgets earlier this week has not undermined the Jackson reforms, the claimant solicitor from the case has argued.”

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Litigation Futures, 1st February 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Civil court claimants must keep costs under control from April, expert warns – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 30th, 2013 in budgets, civil justice, costs, damages, news by sally

“The Court of Appeal has reiterated the importance of accurate budgeting once wide-ranging reforms to civil court costs and procedures come into force from April.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 30th January 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Henry ruling leaves lawyers rueing lack of clarity and warning of satellite litigation – Litigation Futures

Posted January 29th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, news, proportionality by sally

“The Court of Appeal ruling in Henry yesterday has been met with disappointment and criticism from lawyers for failing to send out a clear message about the importance of costs management, and for risking an onslaught of satellite litigation.”

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Litigation Futures, 29th January 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Baby P Sun libel case: social worker could recover legal costs – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in budgets, costs, defamation, news by sally

“A social worker involved in the Baby P scandal who was facing a £300,000 shortfall in her legal bill following a successful libel action against the Sun has been told she now has a chance of recovering her costs following a landmark court of appeal judgment.”

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The Guardian, 28th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Appeal overturns Senior Costs Judge and allows recovery of £300,000 budget overspend – Litigation Futures

Posted January 28th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, defamation, news by sally

“A social worker involved in the Baby P case can recover £300,000 in costs from a successful libel claim against The Sun after the Court of Appeal ruled that she had good reason to depart from the court-approved costs budget, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

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Litigation Futures, 28th January 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Women’s centres give vital help to ex-convicts. So why cut them? – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in budgets, housing, news, prisons, women by sally

“Most women prisoners have committed non-violent crimes. On being released, many want to start new lives but get little or no support. In 2008, that was all supposed to change. Yet today there is anger and frustration at lack of action, and the destructive potential of cutbacks.”

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The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Listen carefully: jeopardising legal advice services is reckless – The Guardian

Posted January 23rd, 2013 in budgets, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Cuts to legal aid and grants means courts will be dealing with unprecedented number of self-represented litigants.”

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More legal aid cuts will lead to poor relying on ‘second best’ lawyers – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2013 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Poor defendants in criminal cases will be condemned to be represented by ‘second best’ lawyers under proposals to slash the costs of legal aid, the chair of the Bar Council has warned.”

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The Guardian, 21st January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk