The CBA misunderstand and are misrepresenting QASA warns the BSB – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 10th, 2013 in competition, legal aid, legal representation, news, tenders by sally

“Yesterday’s Criminal Bar Association message contains some unhelpful inaccuracies which the Bar Standards Board needs to correct.”

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Bar Standards Board, 9th April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

MoJ unveils tendering plans for criminal defence – Law Society’s Gazette

“Defendants will lose the right to choose their lawyer and instead be allocated a representative, under government plans to introduce price-competitive tendering (PCT) for criminal defence services.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law Society president on legal aid change – BBC News

Posted April 10th, 2013 in budgets, immigration, legal aid, news, prisons by sally

“The government has proposed cutting legal aid for prisoners, newly-arrived immigrants and people with incomes of more £37,500 to reduce the overall bill.”

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BBC News, 9th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Making legal aid fairer for taxpayers – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 10th, 2013 in budgets, consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Plans to boost public confidence in the legal aid system and tackle towering bills have today been put out to consultation by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.”

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Ministry of Justice, 9th April 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Wealthy defendants to be denied legal aid in fresh cuts – The Guardian

Posted April 10th, 2013 in budgets, criminal justice, legal aid, news by sally

“Wealthy criminal defendants with disposable incomes of more than £37,500 a year will no longer automatically be entitled to legal aid under a further round of cuts unveiled by the Ministry of Justice.”

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The Guardian, 9th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Do your bit for legal fairness – The Lawyer

Posted April 9th, 2013 in costs, law centres, legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“As legal aid declines, there are a number of different ways lawyers can help to fill the gap.”

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The Lawyer, 8th April 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Student solicitors step into the breach – The Guardian

Posted April 9th, 2013 in budgets, legal aid, news, pro bono work, universities, volunteers by sally

“Following dramatic cuts to legal aid, universities are seeing increased demand for their free law clinics.”

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The Guardian, 8th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid cuts: why law students are coming to the rescue – The Guardian

Posted April 9th, 2013 in budgets, legal aid, news, pro bono work, universities, volunteers by sally

“We get the chance to work with real clients, and they get our help for free, says a volunteer.”

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The Guardian, 8th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

April Fool’s – The Barristers’ Hub

“The 1st of April 2013 marks the implementation of a swathe of changes to the Civil Procedure Rules as part of the implementation of the ‘Jackson Report’ into civil procedure and funding. The aim of the report, in the words of Jackson, L. J. himself, is ‘to promote access to justice at proportionate cost’.”

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The Barristers’ Hub, 5th April 2013

Source: www.barristershub.co.uk

Barrister Conduct ‘Trends and Performance’ Report Released – Bar Standards Board

he Bar Standards Board’s Professional Conduct Department (PCD) has today released its third quarter ‘trends and performance’ report.

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Bar Standards Board, 8th April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

New £1,300 charge for High Court challenges against Government decisions – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 8th, 2013 in fees, immigration, judicial review, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“People will have to pay up to £1,300 to bring High Court challenges against Government decisions in a crackdown on spurious legal challenges, under new plans.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

How to cut the costs of getting divorced – The Guardian

Posted April 8th, 2013 in budgets, costs, custody, divorce, financial provision, internet, legal aid, news by sally

“Legal aid for the 120,000 couples who divorce in a typical year all but disappears in England and Wales this week, except in cases where domestic violence can be proved. While many are predicting a big increase in DIY divorces, costing as little as £37, the changes have also prompted the arrival of a raft of new fixed-fee legal deals that keep lawyers’ bills below £500.”

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The Guardian, 6th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No legal aid? How to represent yourself in court – BBC News

Posted April 8th, 2013 in budgets, divorce, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“The legal profession expects that changes to the legal aid system in England and Wales will lead to a rise in the number of people who have to represent themselves in court.”

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BBC News, 6th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New migrants will have to wait a year for legal aid – The Guardian

Posted April 8th, 2013 in asylum, budgets, custody, immigration, legal aid, news, prisons by sally

“Foreign nationals are to be denied the right to obtain legal aid for civil cases until they have lived in Britain for at least a year, the justice secretary Chris Grayling will announce this week.”

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The Guardian, 7th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners may lose legal aid for jail complaints – The Guardian

Posted April 4th, 2013 in complaints, consultations, legal aid, news, ombudsmen, prisons by sally

“Convicted criminals could be barred from claiming legal aid to fund complaints about the prison system regarding matters such as categorisation, moves, correspondence and visits.”

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The Guardian, 4th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid chief promises smooth transition to new agency – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 3rd, 2013 in competition, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The chief executive of the new Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has promised practitioners that they will experience ‘minimal’ impact from the change in machinery.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Introducing the new Handbook – Legal Aid Handbook

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“1st April 2013. LASPO day. The day the new legal aid scheme began. Except, for most, it wasn’t. It was Easter Monday. Today is the real LASPO day, the day the cuts bite in earnest, the day that over 600,000 people will no longer get legal aid, the day some organisations won’t open their doors to greet their clients – and never will again.”

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Legal Aid Handbook, 2nd April 2013

Source: www.legalaidhandbook.com

Legal aid cuts ‘will create advice deserts’ – The Guardian

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in civil justice, law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“Extensive cuts to civil legal aid that come into force this week will result in vulnerable people struggling to find help as ‘advice deserts’ open up in parts of the country, a survey warns.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Unhappy couples rushing to divorce lawyers ahead of legal aid cuts – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in divorce, legal aid, news by sally

“Unhappy couples have been rushing to file for divorce before legal funding is cut next week, law firms claim.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal aid is being ruled out of court – The Guardian

“From the beginning of April 2013 the chances of getting help with legal bills will be slim. The Law Society estimates 650,000 cases will no longer qualify, including 20,000 employment cases and 200,000 in family law.”

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk