UK Tour Report #11: An interview with Toby Craig, Head of Communications, The Bar Council – Charon QC

Posted November 27th, 2012 in attorney general, barristers, diversity, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“The discussion with Toby Craig covered a number of controversial issues which members of the Bar have expressed concern to me about.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 22nd November 2012

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Rich crooks net vast legal aid sums – BBC News

Posted November 26th, 2012 in assets recovery, budgets, confiscation, costs, drug offences, fraud, legal aid, news by sally

“Dozens of super-rich criminals – some worth tens of millions – have received vast sums in legal aid despite their illicit fortunes, an investigation has revealed.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rehabilitation revolution – next steps announced – Ministry of Justice

“A rehabilitation revolution aimed at cutting crime, better educating troubled young people and offering real value to taxpayers was set out by the Secretary of State for Justice today [20 November].”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 20th November 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Another legal aid review, justice secretary? How original – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2012 in bills, budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“If we’re going to review legal aid again, why not widen access to justice for the public, rather than restrict it.”

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The Guardian, 14th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Theresa May faces long battle to overturn Abu Qatada deportation ruling – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2012 in appeals, bail, deportation, electronic monitoring, evidence, legal aid, news, terrorism, torture by sally

“The home secretary, Theresa May, faces a lengthy legal battle to overturn this week’s ruling by British judges that the radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada should not be sent back to Jordan to face trial.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid: Chris Grayling orders probe – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2012 in extradition, legal aid, news, terrorism by sally

“An ‘immediate examination’ of the legal aid system has been ordered by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hugh Barrett: ‘We’re expecting test cases.’ – LegalVoice

Posted November 8th, 2012 in legal aid, legal services, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“Next April represents a seismic shift in the legal aid world. It’s not only the LASPO cuts but the Legal Services Commission is going to be subsumed into the Ministry of Justice. Jon Robins speaks to Hugh Barrett, director of legal aid commissioning and contract management at the LSC.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 7th November 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Crown Court means testing of criminal legal aid – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 30th, 2012 in consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, news by sally

“The proposals set out in this consultation paper seek to improve the effectiveness of the Crown Court means testing scheme of criminal legal aid.”

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Ministry of Justice, 30th October 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Legal aid cheats targeted by Ministry of Justice – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2012 in assets recovery, fraud, legal aid, news by sally

“Criminals who collectively owe millions of pounds in legal aid could have their assets seized under government plans.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Blame game: when legal aid gets political – LegalVoice

Posted October 24th, 2012 in government departments, legal aid, news by sally

“Political interference in the granting of legal aid – whether actual or suspected by members of the public – could become a genuine concern for the government after next April. Should public money be denied cases brought against government departments or that involve unpopular characters or controversial issues, ministers’ impartiality in the decision-making process may come under fire, writes Elizabeth Davidson.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 23rd October 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Litigators: Survive & Thrive – Speech by Lord Dyson, Master of the Rolls

Posted October 19th, 2012 in costs, fees, legal aid, legal profession, speeches by sally

Litigators: Survive & Thrive (PDF)

Speech by Lord Dyson, Master of the Rolls

Civil Justice Section Conference, 18th October 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Brace yourself for unprecedented change, says master of rolls – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 19th, 2012 in costs, fees, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“Implementing the Jackson costs reforms will inevitably lead to satellite litigation, the master of the rolls has warned. He urged courts and lawyers to ‘do what they can’ to minimise it.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 19th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

LASPO and the domestic violence gateway – LegalVoice

Posted October 16th, 2012 in domestic violence, families, law firms, legal aid, news by tracey

“As a solicitor, who set up a firm with two other family lawyers in 2005 primarily to deal with family legal aid cases for the mixed housing area of Shirley in Southampton where we practice, I was very concerned when I heard of the proposed new reforms for family legal aid work, writes Wendy Hewstone. I am a member of the Legal Aid Practitioner Group committee and have the Law Society council seat for the group so was probably more aware of the proposed changes than many and have seen and responded to numerous consultation papers.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 15th October 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

 

McNally: LASPO was ‘bruising for all’ – LegalVoice

Posted October 16th, 2012 in domestic violence, legal aid, legal services, news by tracey

“LAPG conference report”

Full story

LegalVoice, 15th October 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Lord McNally’s speech for Legal Aid Practitioners Group Conference – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 15th, 2012 in bills, budgets, competition, dispute resolution, legal aid, speeches by tracey

“Lord McNally’s speech for Legal Aid Practitioners Group Conference.”

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 12th October 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Spending cuts on legal services will deny ‘effective access’ to justice, says leading barrister – The Independent

Posted October 9th, 2012 in civil justice, criminal justice, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Many people will be denied ‘effective access’ to justice as a result of Government spending cuts on legal services, according to a leading barrister.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th October 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

CLAF: ‘A tax on brain-damaged children’ – LegalVoice

Posted October 8th, 2012 in children, damages, legal aid, news, personal injuries by sally

“The CLAF (contingent legal aid fund) is ‘dead’, writes Elizabeth Davidson. That’s according to Roger Smith, director of JUSTICE. A CLAF – a fund which backs claims and re-invests a proportion of any damages won into future cases – was first proposed by JUSTICE in the late 1960s, and has been backed by the Law Society, Bar Council and various consumer bodies at various times, but never found its way into existence.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 4th October 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Ministry of Justice abandons £10m raid on medical negligence damages – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 25th, 2012 in damages, legal aid, medical treatment, Ministry of Justice, negligence, news by sally

“Attempts to claw back almost £10 million a year from compensation awarded to disabled children and their families have been abandoned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family lawyers face turbulent year ahead – Law Society’s Gazette

“Family law’s commercial and legal landscape is changing dramatically with the legal aid reforms, the continuing impact of the recession, competition from ABSs and potential legislative changes affecting everyone from the richest to the poorest.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 20th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid in England five times as generous as rest of Europe – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 20th, 2012 in budgets, diversity, equality, judiciary, legal aid, news, remuneration by sally

“Legal aid in England and Wales is five times as generous as the average in Europe, figures show.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk