‘Solicitors who offer “unbundled” legal advice to help litigants deal with challenging parts of the process provide an “invaluable” service to both the court and litigants, the Court of Appeal said yesterday.’
Legal Futures, 18th November 2015
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Speech by HHJ Edmund QC at the Criminal Bar Association Ann Goddard Memorial Lecture on 3 November 2015 entitled ”All Change: What you need to know about Better Case Management and the Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing”.
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th November 2015
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
‘Moves to overhaul the legal-aid system have been delayed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the face of more than 100 challenges from solicitors’ firms who claim the whole process is fundamentally flawed.’
The Independent, 15th November 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Government research on the impact of its reforms on civil legal aid are expected to be published by the end of the year, the Ministry of Justice has revealed.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 11th November 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Solicitors are in uproar over government changes to the criminal legal aid system. The budget has been slashed by 17.5 per cent and the number of firms eligible to provide duty solicitors to represent clients at police stations has been reduced from 1600 to just over 500.’
BBC Law in Action, 3rd November 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Since his appointment as Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor in May this year, the Rt Hon Michael Gove has maintained a fairly low profile. Aside from his Making Prisons Work speech in July, Mr Gove’s plans for the future of the Criminal Justice System have not been very clearly outlined. Although since his swearing in, to the delight of many, Gove has managed to overturn the previous Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling’s ban on books for prisoners; scrapped plans to create a super youth prison; and halted massively controversial plans for the UK to undertake Saudi Arabian prison training contracts.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th November 2015
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
‘With warnings coming thick and fast about the stark ramifications of the government’s sweeping cuts to legal aid, it was probably inevitable that someone would come up with a new way to plug some gaps in access to justice. Enter the legal crowdfunder, CrowdJustice, an online platform where people who might not otherwise get their case heard can raise cash to pay for legal representation and court costs.’
The Guardian, 21st October 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Lord Justice Jackson has called for the recently extended exemption for insolvency cases from the impact of his reforms to come to an end, describing recoverability as “an instrument of oppression, which is liable to crush defendants who have a good defence”.’
Litigation Futures, 20th October 2015
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘A report commissioned by the International Bar Association’s (IBA) access to justice and legal aid committee has criticised the “lack of timely provision of legal aid” in the UK. The committee commissioned the Bingham Centre for Rule of Law to conduct research on International Access to Justice: Legal Aid for the Accused and Redress for the Victims of Violence which was published this week.’
Legal Voice, 8th October 2015
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
‘Deport first, appeal later is part of the current strategy to cut net migration. As set out in the Immigration Bill 2015-16, the rule has been extended to all immigration appeals and judicial reviews, including where a so-called family life is involved, apart from asylum claims.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th September 2015
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
‘Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn has put legal aid on his agenda, asking former minister Lord Bach to “immediately” review the government’s reforms.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd September 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The outcry over the new financial penalties for anyone convicted of a crime presents Michael Gove with a crucial test of his willingness to jettison flawed policies inherited from Chris Grayling, his predecessor as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor.’
The Independent, 11th September 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘John Tughan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent judgments of significance to child care lawyers.’
Family Law Week, 2nd September 2015
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
‘In a judgment that may be of interest to legal aid lawyers, the High Court has overturned a rejection by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) of a legal aid claim by Duncan Lewis solicitors. The Legal Aid Agency should have considered whether the means assessment conducted by Duncan Lewis, which had assessed a client KW as having provided sufficient evidence to show that she came within the financial threshold for legal aid, had made a reasonable judgement. The LAA had erred in refusing to fund the case on the basis that the documents relied upon were outside of the ‘assessment window’, Cranston J held in the case of R (On the Application Of Duncan Lewis (Solicitors) Ltd) v The Lord Chancellor [2015] EWHC 2498 (Admin).’
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Free Movement, 8th September 2015
Source: www.freemovement.org.uk
‘Greece is not alone in suffering from budget cuts arising from the era of austerity. In the UK, local councils, libraries, museums – all public services have been cut. Criminal Justice has not escaped this cost-cutting. The consequence has been fewer police officers on the streets, less money for legal aid lawyers, and closures of Magistrates courts. Prisons too have been hit; the government has reduced the amount it spends running correctional facilities. This has meant fewer programs and services for prisoners, more austere prisons as well as more work for fewer prison officers.’
OUP Blog, 28th August 2015
Source: www.blog.oup.com
‘A forensic science specialist has paid tribute to solicitors working with a ‘decimated’ legal aid budget after announcing an exit from the UK market.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 25th August 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
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