Barristers to be balloted on possible walkouts in row over legal aid rates – The Guardian

‘Barristers are to be balloted this weekend on escalating industrial action over legal aid rates as figures reveal the number of crown court cases adjourned because of a shortage of lawyers has increased nearly fivefold over the decade.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Millions invested to help people facing eviction or repossession – Ministry of Justice

‘More people will get access to free expert legal advice to give them the best chance of keeping their home when they fall into difficult financial times, backed by over £10 million of extra funding injected into housing legal aid every year.’

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Ministry of Justice, 31st May 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Court refuses judicial review of SRA and LAA over control order – Legal Futures

‘A non-solicitor has failed in his attempt to judicially review a control order imposed on him by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) six years ago.’

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Legal Futures, 30th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘We will sue the pants off them’: outrage over LAA announcement – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 13th, 2022 in criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The Legal Aid Agency has sparked panic among the criminal defence community by announcing that some providers could lose out on work when new contracts begin this autumn. One firm, for which legal aid comprises 60% of its workload, told the Gazette that it could go out of business.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers limit community care cases “to help firms stay afloat” – Legal Futures

‘Community care lawyers are limiting the amount and type of legal aid work they do to ensure that their firms remain financially viable, a report has found.’

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Legal Futures, 6th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Minister: Reforms “not exactly” what criminal legal aid review said – Legal Futures

Posted April 28th, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘Justice minister James Cartlidge has admitted to MPs that the government’s response to an independent review of criminal legal aid was “not exactly” what its author, Sir Christopher Bellamy, proposed.’

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Legal Futures, 28th April 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Publicly-funded criminal barrister numbers drop by 11% – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 11th, 2022 in barristers, budgets, coronavirus, criminal justice, legal aid, news, statistics by tracey

‘The number of barristers practising full-time in publicly-funded criminal law dropped by 11% last year, according to analysis by the Bar Council. In 2021, only 2,400 barristers reported that their practice was entirely publicly-funded criminal work, down from from 2,670 the previous year.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th April 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Thousands of barristers take action over legal aid – BBC News

Posted April 11th, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, news, remuneration by tracey

‘Nearly 2,500 barristers who are essential to the criminal justice system in England and Wales are starting industrial action over concerns about legal aid funding.’

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BBC news, 11th April 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid work “close to being unsustainable”, new campaign warns – Legal Futures

‘A new campaign for increased legal aid funding has been launched after the findings of a unique census showed the market will not be sustainable without more government action.’

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Legal Futures, 31st March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers to press ahead with legal aid action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 22nd, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news, remuneration by tracey

‘Barristers will not be balloted on whether they are happy to accept the proposed £135m package of criminal legal aid reforms announced last week, the Criminal Bar Association has revealed.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd March 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid sector put on sustainable footing for years to come – Ministry of Justice

‘Criminal legal aid lawyers are set for the biggest pay boost in a decade under wide-ranging reforms proposed by the government today.’

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Ministry of Justice, 15th March 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Criminal barristers vote for industrial action over legal aid funding – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Criminal barristers in England and Wales have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action beginning next month in protest over levels of legal aid funding.’

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The Guardian, 15th March 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Vicky Kapogianni: Clause 45 of the Nationality and Borders Bill: A Quasi-Open Window of Access to Justice – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted February 24th, 2022 in asylum, bills, human rights, judicial review, legal aid, news, refugees by sally

‘Access to justice is a fundamental right in the common law and an essential part of the rule of law. In R v Lord Chancellor Ex Parte Witham, Laws J stated that the common law affords special weight to the right of access to the courts as a constitutional right. Such a constitutional right derives chiefly from two sources, the common law per se and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). One of the major issues, however, for asylum seekers is the fact that the guarantees afforded under Article 6 ECHR, do not apply to asylum decisions. Its wider protection is constrained to the determination of “civil rights and obligations” and the right to asylum is not considered a “civil right” within the context of Article 6 (1) ECHR. Therefore, asylum seekers whose applications for refugee status or humanitarian protection have been unsuccessful, including refugees whose leave to enter or remain has been revoked, are subject to removal under section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 24th February 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Criminal courts face possible lawyer strike – BBC New

Posted February 17th, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, news, remuneration by sally

‘Criminal barristers in England and Wales may strike, in an action that could close down Crown Courts.’

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BBC News, 16th February 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘No going back’: Criminal bar gives resounding ‘yes’ to direct action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 18th, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, news, remuneration by tracey

‘The criminal bar could take direct action in April if the government fails to substantially increase legal aid funding by the end of March.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th January 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Criminal bar explores appetite for action over legal aid – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 11th, 2022 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, news by tracey

‘The Criminal Bar Association is asking practitioners if they would be prepared to escalate action if the government fails to commit by Valentine’s Day to increasing legal aid funding.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th January 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Raab eyes “drastic action” to keep family disputes out of court – Legal Futures

‘Justice secretary Dominic Raab is “in the market for something quite drastic and bold” to reduce the number of private law family cases in the courts, he said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 1st December 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Consultation to enhance legal support for those facing eviction or repossession – gov.uk

‘People at risk of losing their home are set to benefit from enhanced legal support following a consultation launched by the government today
.’

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gov.uk, 25th November 2021

Source: www.gov.uk

‘No alternative’ to new walkouts in legal aid dispute, says QC – The Guardian

‘A former barrister who led the first strike at the England and Wales bar has said he “can’t see any alternative” to fresh industrial action in a dispute over legal aid fees.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inability to find criminal lawyers ‘chickens coming home to roost’ – LCJ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 19th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The inability to find barristers to represent criminal defendants is an example of “chickens coming home to roost”, the lord chief justice has said.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th November 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk