Michael Gove has scrapped the Government’s planned legal aid cuts – The Independent

Posted January 29th, 2016 in budgets, criminal justice, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Government has scrapped major cuts to the criminal legal aid system in England and Wales, it has announced.’

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The Independent, 28th January 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MoJ and MoD join forces to protect soldiers from “parasitic litigation” – Litigation Futures

Posted January 27th, 2016 in armed forces, Iraq, law firms, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news, torture by sally

‘Justice minister Dominic Raab and armed forces minister Penny Mordaunt are to chair a working party looking at how to prevent “any malicious or parasitic litigation from being taken against our brave armed forces”, Mr Raab revealed yesterday.’

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Litigation Futures, 27th January 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Whistleblower judge: austerity policies have made courts dangerous – The Guardian

‘A district judge who is suing the Ministry of Justice after whistleblowing her complaints about courtroom dangers – death threats, violent claimants and hostage-taking – has spoken out for the first time about her experience of an under-resourced justice system.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cameron wants crackdown on ‘spurious’ military legal claims – BBC News

Posted January 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, death in custody, Iraq, legal aid, news, torture, war crimes by sally

‘The prime minister has ordered a clampdown on “spurious” legal claims against UK military personnel.’

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BBC News, 22nd January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Abuse survivors ‘re-victimised’ through family court process – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Victims of domestic abuse should not endure the trauma of being cross-examined by their abusers in court, a national charity has recommended in a study on child deaths.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 20th January 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid crackdown to protect troops from being sued – Daily Telegraph

‘ Human rights lawyers who have brought thousands of war crimes cases against British troops will see their taxpayer-funded legal aid cut, in a new assault on “ambulance chasing” law firms. David Cameron has ordered a crackdown after becoming “very concerned” at the boom in compensation claims and investigations against soldiers over incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal aid billing issues ‘unresolved’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 13th, 2016 in computer programs, costs, legal aid, news by sally

‘The government may be underestimating the severity of problems with its new digital legal aid billing system, solicitors have warned.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th January 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid billing delay ‘stay of execution’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 12th, 2016 in computer programs, costs, legal aid, news by sally

‘The government may be underestimating the severity of problems with its new digital legal aid billing system, solicitors have warned.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th January 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Retrospective success fee was justified, High Court rules – Litigation Futures

Posted January 7th, 2016 in costs, fees, immigration, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

‘A law firm was justified in charging a retrospective success fee as the claimant did not face different risks when he signed a conditional fee agreement (CFA) as when he had applied for legal aid five months earlier, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 7th January 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Disabled workers can’t afford justice to deal with workplace harassment – The Guardian

‘Since the government introduced fees for employment tribunals, together with legal aid cuts, disabled people have increasingly been unable to have their cases heard.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Going into legal aid work now is career suicide’ – The Guardian

‘Government cuts to legal aid means social welfare lawyers are a dying breed. So where will the next generation come from? Step up the Justice First Fellowship.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Earnings of criminal legal aid barristers fall 8% in two years – Legal Futures

Posted December 18th, 2015 in barristers, criminal justice, legal aid, news, remuneration by tracey

‘The fee income of Crown Court legal aid barristers from the Advocated Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) has fallen by 8% in the last two years, new figures have shown.’

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Legal Futures, 18th December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal Aid Agency delays “no longer” a good reason to miss deadlines, CA warns – Litigation Futures

Posted December 16th, 2015 in appeals, delay, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘Solicitors who miss deadlines because they are waiting for a Legal Aid Agency funding decision can no longer rely on this alone as grounds to apply for an extension of time, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 15th December 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

New Bar chairman: the BSB is independent enough – Legal Futures

Posted December 9th, 2015 in barristers, fees, legal aid, legal services, news, public interest, standards by sally

‘The current arrangements for the regulation of barristers are “relatively cost-efficient” and there is no need to make the Bar Standards Board (BSB) fully independent, the incoming chairman of the Bar Council has said.’

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Legal Futures, 9th December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Unlawful seizure of a table and other bits – Nearly Legal

Posted December 7th, 2015 in appeals, budgets, housing, legal aid, local government, news, trespass by sally

‘On 5 December, a Newham Council officer, together with police, seized a table from the regular Saturday street campaign of Focus E15 – the housing rights protest group. The seizure was stated to be under London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003.’

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Nearly Legal, 6th December 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Appeal judges back legal aid residence test – Legal Voice

Posted December 1st, 2015 in appeals, civil justice, domicile, human rights, legal aid, news, ultra vires by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has unanimously ruled that the government’s proposed residence test for civil legal aid is lawful, overturning a judgment by the High Court last year which found the measure to be discriminatory and unlawful. The test, if implemented, will restrict public funding for legal representation in civil cases to individuals who can prove that they are lawfully resident in the UK and have been so for a 12 month period at some time in the past.’

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Legal Voice, 1st December 2015

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Regina (Public Law Project) v Lord Chancellor (Office of the Children’s Commissioner intervening) – WLR Daily

Regina (Public Law Project) v Lord Chancellor (Office of the Children’s Commissioner intervening) [2015] EWCA Civ 1193; [2015] WLR (D) 480

‘The decision of the Lord Chancellor to propose by statutory instrument an amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 to impose a residence test for those otherwise eligible for civil legal aid under Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act was not unlawful or discriminatory.’

WLR Daily, 25th November 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Legal aid residence test ruled lawful – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 27th, 2015 in domicile, legal aid, news by sally

‘Government plans to introduce a residence test for civil legal aid eligibility are lawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 27th November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal profession welcomes unbundling decision – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 25th, 2015 in appeals, budgets, duty of care, fees, legal aid, negligence, news, personal injuries, solicitors by sally

‘Court of Appeal ruling that solicitors may offer ‘unbundled’ services without being held liable for matters beyond those in their client retainer has been widely welcomed by the profession. ‘

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Public plead for free legal advice before deciding whether to go to court – Legal Futures

‘Any person thinking about taking their case to court should be able to see a lawyer without cost at least once, according to an opinion poll conducted as part of work on the public perception of justice.’

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Legal Futures, 24th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk