BSB “not fit for purpose”, says Proudman after tribunal dismisses case – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has proven itself “unfit for purpose”, Dr Charlotte Proudman said yesterday after a disciplinary tribunal ruled she had no case to answer over tweets she sent.’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister cleared of misconduct after criticising ‘boys’ club’ attitude in legal profession – The Guardian

‘A barrister has attacked misogyny in the legal profession after a misconduct case brought against her for calling out a “boys’ club” attitude was thrown out.’

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The Guardian, 12th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Medico-legal market consolidating and growing “more strongly” – Legal Futures

‘The value of the medico-legal market grew by 4% in 2024, double the growth rate of the previous year, researchers have estimated.’

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Legal Futures, 12th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister apprenticeships to go live next year – Legal Futures

‘Barrister apprenticeships are set to become a reality after their approval by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).’

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Legal Futures, 10th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

AI “could amplify gender biases in legal profession” – Legal Futures

‘Increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) could “perpetuate or even amplify existing gender biases in the legal profession”, new research has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 4th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High public confidence in barristers falters among ethnic minorities – Legal Futures

Posted December 2nd, 2024 in barristers, equality, legal profession, news, race discrimination, statistics by tracey

‘Public confidence in barristers is high, but lower among those from minority backgrounds, especially when it comes to perceptions of whether they treat everyone fairly, new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government “at risk of breaching duty” to provide access to justice – Legal Futures

Posted December 2nd, 2024 in civil justice, fees, legal aid, legal profession, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice is at risk of not meeting its statutory duty for civil legal aid to deliver access to justice, according to research it commissioned.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal aid fees to rise by 10% for immigration and housing after lawyer action – The Guardian

‘Ministers are to announce a 10% increase in legal aid fees for immigration and housing work after action by lawyers who warned that the failure to increase rates has led to a paralysis in the system.’

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The Guardian, 29th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ethical clashes can cause young lawyers health problems – Legal Futures

Posted November 26th, 2024 in health, law firms, legal profession, news, public interest by tracey

‘Having a professional identity as a young lawyer that does not align with the values of your law firm could turn “wellbeing issues into serious health problems”, a leading legal academic has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 26th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New legal privilege guidance for in-house lawyers in England – OUT-LAW.com

‘Legal advice given by in-house lawyers will, under English law, attract privilege in the same way as legal advice given by any other lawyers, but there are certain issues in-house lawyers should pay particular attention to when considering legal professional privilege, according to new guidance by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd November 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

What Financial Remedy Lawyers Need to Know About Emojis – Financial Remedies Journal

Posted November 18th, 2024 in families, family courts, interpretation, legal profession, news, telecommunications by tracey

‘Emojis play a significant part in digital communications, including casual messaging, social media posts, and increasingly, professional communications. When we are reviewing historical messages, understanding what the emojis were intended to mean could become an essential part of identifying what was discussed and/or agreed at that time.’

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Financial Remedies Journal, 15th November 2024

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

“Vulnerable” legal aid solicitors feel “taken advantage of” – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2024 in budgets, fees, legal aid, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

‘Legal aid solicitors feel they have been “neglected the most and taken advantage of” in the years following the LASPO cuts, according to an academic study.’

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Legal Futures, 13th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Artificial intelligence taking growing role in legal sector – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 11th, 2024 in artificial intelligence, legal profession, news, statistics by tracey

‘Despite artificial intelligence (AI) making significant inroads in the legal sector, with 82% of lawyers now using or planning to use the technology, it is clear that it is no substitute for human expertise.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th November 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Professional bodies should regulate legal AI, say lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 5th, 2024 in artificial intelligence, legal profession, news, reports by tracey

‘More than two thirds of lawyers say that professional bodies such as the Law Society should take responsibility for regulating the use of artificial intelligence in law – though 18% say that the government should have a role too. The findings emerge from the 2024 Future of Professionals report by legal information giant Thomson Reuters, published today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 4th November 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Everything you wanted to know about AI but were afraid to ask – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 28th, 2024 in artificial intelligence, legal profession, news by tracey

‘Thomson Reuters’ Legal Insights provides an overall guide to AI and how it will affect the legal profession.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Fat-cats’ versus ‘church mice’: unveiling legal aid practice from behind the shadows of private legal practice in England and Wales – Legal Studies

Posted October 25th, 2024 in barristers, legal aid, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

‘This paper calls for the lawyering profession – which is often viewed as unabridged – to be reframed into two distinct occupations: legal aid practice and private practice, to better incorporate the divisions in labour. In order to better understand contemporary legal aid work and its workers, the hidden realities must be unveiled from behind their private counterparts, which opposingly signify wealth, professionalism, autonomy and privilege. Set within a context of crumbling professional identities, a shrinking industry and financial constraints, the paper draws on ethnographic and interview data. It finds that those working in legal aid undoubtedly face a more stagnated, under-resourced and precarious working environment, which means that their professional experience is vastly different from their private counterparts. Likewise, those in the field face toxic narratives from the government, the media, the public, and their private counterparts alike, resulting in persistent discourse of vilification. Ultimately, it calls for a refocus of legal aid work as a separate vocation due to its altruistic underpinnings, unique ‘professional’ identity, and values.’

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Legal Studies, 3rd October 2024

Source: www.cambridge.org

Speech by the Master of the Rolls: The Digital Trading Revolution – Underpinned by Law – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Legal Geek Conference 2024, 16 October 2024 – “The Digital Trading Revolution: Underpinned by Law”

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 16th October 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

AI and Family Law – Financial Remedies Journal

Posted October 21st, 2024 in artificial intelligence, families, family courts, legal profession, news by tracey

‘AI has the real likelihood of transforming the practice of family law solicitors more than the major conceptual changes from the Children Act, the seismic shift from White or the speed of response needed from lis pendens of EU law – a transformation which will happen fast even in the slow-moving, conservative legal profession.’

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Financial Remedies Journal, 14th October 2024

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

LASPO 2012: ten years and beyond – a socio-legal study of the impact of legal aid cuts on service providers in England and Wales – Legal Ethics

‘Major reforms via the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012 and subsequent reforms have reduced the legal aid budget and the scope of eligibility in criminal as well as civil cases. According to Mansfield et al., the principles of justice that embody the legal aid provision has been neglected by governments for over a decade and as such; created a gap that emasculates the most vulnerable in society, such as recipients of legal aid. This study employs an interview-based approach to investigate alternative perspectives in terms of the cuts and widespread impact on service providers in England and Wales, such as barristers, and solicitors. Detailed qualitative data were collected to provide insights into the diminishing legal aid scheme through the lived experiences of both civil and criminal legal aid providers. The study examines the concerns of service providers regarding their future as public defenders and the future of the judicial system post-LASPO 2012, focusing on safeguarding the rights of individuals facing litigation and ensuring that newly qualified lawyers are not deterred from public defence roles due to the long-term effects of ongoing legal aid cuts.’

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Legal Ethics, 10th September 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

Attorney General to issue amended guidance for government lawyers on legal risk – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Attorney General, Lord Hermer KC, has announced he is to issue amended guidance for assessing legal risk across government that will seek to “raise the standards for calibrating legality”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk