Liberty names barrister Martha Spurrier as new director – The Guardian
‘The barrister and human rights campaigner Martha Spurrier is to succeed Shami Chakrabarti as the director of Liberty.
The Guardian, 31st March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: legal aid
Legal aid cuts add to strain on divorcees – The Guardian
‘Nine out of 10 people who have gone through the family courts, under new rules that heavily restrict access to legal aid, suffer strain in their mental and physical health, working lives and finances, according to a report by Citizens Advice due out this week.’
The Guardian, 26th March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Children: Private Law Update (March 2016) – Family Law Week
‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent important judgments in private law children cases.’
Family Law Week, 23rd March 2016
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Jailed Libor trader Tom Hayes must pay more than £878,000 – The Guardian
‘Tom Hayes, the former star trader serving an 11-year jail sentence for manipulating Libor interest rates, has been ordered to pay £878,806 after a court ruled the money was the proceeds of crime.’
The Guardian, 23rd March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
MoJ to urgently review legal aid for trafficking victims – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Ministry of Justice will urgently review its provision of legal aid for people bringing claims for compensation against their traffickers, in response to a judicial review of the current scheme.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 21st March 2016
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Divorce judge awards woman who gave up career 90% of family assets – The Guardian
‘A businesswoman who left behind her career in order to become a “stay at home mum” while her husband continued with his high-flying career has been awarded virtually all of the family fortune by a divorce judge.’
The Guardian, 14th March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Judge challenges government over legal representation for vulnerable people – The Guardian
‘A senior judge has challenged the government to provide legal representation for vulnerable people as a backlog of safeguarding cases that cannot be tried builds up in the court of protection.’
The Guardian, 10th March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
CA strikes down judge’s decision not to award 10% Simmons uplift – Litigation Futures
‘A circuit judge was wrong to believe he had discretion not to apply the post-LASPO 10% uplift in damages, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’
Litigation Futures, 3rd March 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Becky Watts killers received £400,000 in legal aid – BBC News
‘The killers of Bristol teenager Becky Watts were granted more than £400,000 in legal aid, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.’
BBC News, 3rd March 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Legal Aid Agency spends £93m on cases not heard in court – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has spent more than £93m funding defence counsel in cases that did not go to trial, the National Audit Office has found.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 1st March 2016
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Father of Poppi Worthington given £117,000 legal aid for custody battle over her siblings – Daily Telegraph
‘Paul Worthington awarded £87,318 for counsel payments and £29,450 for solicitors’ fees to fight against the proceedings.’
Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Judiciary proposes fee ban and new name for McKenzie Friends – Legal Futures
‘England and Wales should follow the example of Scotland in banning McKenzie Friends from charging fees, the Judicial Executive Board (JEB) has proposed.’
Legal Futures, 25th February 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Domestic violence legal aid changes were ‘invalid’ – BBC News
‘A women’s charity has won an appeal against rule changes which it said “cut too many women off” from legal aid in domestic violence cases.’
BBC News, 19th February 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
High Court awards Lord Chancellor £1m in battle with legal aid firm – Legal Futures
‘The Lord Chancellor has been awarded almost £1m by the High Court in its battle with a legal aid firm over payments on account (POAs).’
Legal Futures, 19th February 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
High Court upholds CFA despite legal aid certificate remaining in place – Litigation Futures
‘The High Court has ruled that a conditional fee agreement (CFA) was valid even though the claimant’s legal aid certificate remained in place.’
Litigation Futures, 16th February 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
High Court ruling outlines extraordinary scale of allegations against Blavo & Co – Legal Futures
‘A High Court judge has said there is a “strongly arguable case” that collapsed firm Blavo & Co, formerly the UK’s leading mental health practice, made “many thousands” of false legal aid claims.’
Legal Futures, 2nd February 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Unjust Kingdom: why legal aid cuts require action and innovation – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘In a debate, held on 10 December 2015 (Human Rights Day), Lord Howarth of Newport succinctly summarised the consequences of the legal aid cuts as a; “denial of access to justice, human suffering, failure to achieve the intended savings, and damage to the legal profession.”’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd February 2016
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
