“Solicitors condemned the ‘wilful blindness’ of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) this week in refusing to acknowledge the severe threat its reforms pose to the legal aid system, after the government shrugged off damning criticisms from a cross-party committee of MPs and announced its intention to press ahead with the controversial plans.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 28th June 2007
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Lord Falconer today (22 June) said legal aid reform would ensure as many people as possible were helped within the resources available by encouraging efficient working practices in the legal profession.”
Ministry of Justice press release, 22nd June 2007
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Related link: Government’s response to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee’s report of May 2007
“Plans for judges to sack lawyers who cause unnecessary delays in very high-cost cases (VHCCs) have been revised following concerns raised by the Law Society and the Bar Council.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 7th June 2007
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The campaign to force the Government to scale back its controversial legal aid reforms has been dealt a blow after the High Court rejected the first call for a judicial review over the planned changes.”
Legal Week, 4th June 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
“Jailed crime boss Terry Adams has been ordered to pay back nearly £5m in legal aid he was awarded to defend himself.”
BBC News, 18th May 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Proposed reforms to legal aid will destroy specialist civil liberties teams, practitioners have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 17th May 2007
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The Access to Justice Alliance (AJA) will next week step up opposition to the government’s proposed civil legal aid reforms with a week of action, including protests outside courts.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 10th May 2007
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Minister’s legal aid refusal wrong
Regina (Main) v. Minister for Legal Aid
Queen’s Bench Division
“The refusal by the Minister of Legal Aid to authorise exceptional funding for the family of two victims of the Ufton Nervet train crash to be represented at the coroner’s inquest was flawed by her failure to recognise that the issues were not only of wide public interest but also a potential benefit for members of the public.”
The Times, 9th May 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Implementation of the Carter Review of Legal Aid (PDF)
Constitutional Affairs Select Committee, 1st May 2007
Source: www.parliament.uk
“The high-profile parliamentary committee examining controversial proposals to overhaul the UK’s ailing legal aid system has branded the Government’s proposals ‘unwise’ and called on Whitehall to rethink its under-fire reforms.”
Legal Week, 1st May 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
“The Lord Chancellor faces renewed pressure to drop or delay plans for overhauling the legal aid scheme with a damning report today from MPs.”
The Times, 1st May 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The Access to Justice Alliance (AJA) is organising a week of action from 14 May 2007 to 18 May 2007 to raise awareness of the vital role that legal aid plays for people seeking to enforce or defend their rights. ‘Justice – access denied’ will involve demonstrations outside local county courts, tribunals and the Royal Courts of Justice.”
Legal Action Group, 26th April 2007
Source: www.lag.org.uk
“Black and Asian lawyers have taken legal action against the Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) over the legal aid reforms, it was revealed today (25 April).”
The Lawyer, 25th April 2007
Source: www.thelawyer.com
“An inquest into a major rail crash could be delayed after the government decided to appeal against a High Court ruling on legal aid for relatives.”
BBC News, 23rd April 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“To the outside world it must seem extraordinary that lawyers (of all people) signed a contract so apparently weighted in favour of the paymaster that the profession’s own contract lawyer advised them not to put pen to paper.”
The Times, 17th April 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The Law Society has passed a unanimous vote of no-confidence in the Legal Services Commission (LSC), it emerged last week, as the Government vowed to press on with a key plank of its controversial package of reforms to the £2bn legal aid system.”
Legal Week, 5th April 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
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