Lammy review: MoJ rejects judicial diversity targets, cautious on choice of duty solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted December 20th, 2017 in diversity, judiciary, legal representation, minorities, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has rejected the idea of diversity targets for the judiciary and magistracy in its response to the Lammy review of the treatment of black and minority ethnic (BAME) people in the criminal justice system.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th December 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rise of LiPs “key challenge for family lawyers and courts system” – Legal Futures

‘The rise in the number of litigants-in-person in the family courts since the 2013 legal aid reforms has topped a poll of the causes of discontent among family law practitioners for the fifth year running.’

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Legal Futures, 15th December 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

A quick chat with the police – or an interview? You need a lawyer – Legal Voice

Posted December 11th, 2017 in consultations, criminal justice, legal representation, news, police interviews by sally

‘When the police investigate a criminal offence, it may not be necessary to formally arrest a suspect. In the past, it would be common practice that those being questioned by the police were arrested. Now, with the introduction of the 28-day bail limit, it is becoming a more accepted method for the police to question suspects by way of a ‘voluntary interview’.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 8th December 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Dramatic decline in access to legal help for immigration detainees, reports charity – Legal Voice

Posted December 7th, 2017 in detention, immigration, law centres, legal representation, news, reports by sally

‘The number of immigration detainees with no access to legal representation while in detention has tripled in the past few months, a new survey published by the immigration detention charity BID has indicated.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 6th December 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Injustice in Immigration Detention – The Bar Council

Posted December 1st, 2017 in detention, immigration, legal representation, press releases by tracey

‘Migrants held in detention for too long with inadequate access to the courts or to legal help are among a catalogue of problems highlighted by ‘Injustice in Immigration Detention’, an independent report by Dr Anna Lindley of SOAS, published today.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 30th November 2017

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Asylum seekers face appeals ‘lottery’ – BBC News

Posted November 29th, 2017 in appeals, asylum, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

‘Asylum seekers are facing a “lottery” depending on where their appeal is heard, research by the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme has found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Families of 1974 bombings victims turn to crowdfunding after legal aid denied – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 16th, 2017 in costs, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news by tracey

‘A campaign group is seeking funds to pay for a judicial review challenging the terms of reference of an inquest into the deaths of the Birmingham Pub Bombings victims after a request for legal aid was denied. Justice4the21 is asking legal professionals to donate what they can to fund a challenge to a coroner’s decision earlier this year to exclude the issue of who was responsible for the 1974 bombings.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 15th November 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Official review backs ‘Hillsborough law’ proposals – The Guardian

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in bereavement, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news, reports by tracey

‘An official review of the Hillsborough families’ 27-year ordeal since the 1989 disaster has recommended that bereaved families must have funding for full legal representation at inquests where public authorities are represented.’

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The Guardian, 1st November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hundreds of thousands can’t get legal aid – so where are they going for help? – Legal Voice

Posted October 30th, 2017 in legal aid, legal representation, legal services, legislation, news, statistics by sally

‘Hundreds of thousands of people have not been able to get legal aid since the introduction of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) in 2013.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 26th October 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Senior judge warns over ‘shaming’ impact of legal aid cuts – The Guardian

‘One of the most senior family court judges has warned about the impact of legal aid cuts and said it was “shaming” to preside over cases in which individuals are forced to represent themselves.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inquests: Can the costs of representation be recovered? Kate Wilson discusses – Park Square Barristers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in costs, inquests, legal representation, news by sally

‘Coroners have no power to award costs of legal advice or representation at inquests. Where a successful civil claim follows, parties will naturally wish to recover the costs of the inquests as well as the costs of the civil proceedings from the losing party. The starting point is Section 51 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 which enables the court to award costs “of and incidental to” civil proceedings.’

Full Story

Park Square Barristers, 10th August 2017

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

NHS victims face spending all their damages on lawyers – new report – Daily Telegraph

‘Victims of NHS blunders face spending all their compensation on lawyers fees, following a proposed Government shake-down of legal costs, experts have warned.’

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Daily Telegraph, 31st July 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The cost of resisting disclosure of sensitive police material in family proceedings – UK Police Law Blog

‘Who pays the costs of Special Advocates where closed material procedures are required to consider sensitive police documents in family proceedings? The police, according to Cobb J in Re R (Closed Material Procedure: Special Advocates: Funding) [2017] EWHC 1793 (Fam).’

Full Story

UK Police Law Blog, 30th July 2017

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

New research shows paid McKenzie Friends operating mostly outside the courtroom – The Bar Council

‘ New research undertaken by the Universities of Cardiff and Bristol shows that the bulk of work undertaken by paid McKenzie Friends is delivered outside court, with very few seeking actively to represent their litigant in person clients in the court room.’

Full Story

The Bar council, 12th June 2017

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

LSB decides against changing rules on telling clients about complaints procedures – Legal Futures

Posted May 24th, 2017 in complaints, documents, legal representation, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has dismissed concerns about the “negative” impact of its requirement that lawyers tell clients about their complaints procedures before any work has been done.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 24th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

When can a tribunal be forced to pay the costs of judicially reviewing it? – Free Movement

‘“Not often” is the answer. Only if the tribunal acts in an improper way. Incompetence or unlawfulness is not sufficient.’

Full story

Free Movement, 18th May 2017

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Paid McKenzie Friends “play on uncertainty and victimhood” of separating fathers – Legal Futures

‘‘Professional’ paid McKenzie Friends associated with fathers’ rights groups (FRGs) play on their “uncertainty and sense of victimhood” to attract business, academic research has found, saying that there needed to be a code of conduct and a greater role for law school clinics in their place.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge alarmed about lack of lawyer as he jails woman for begging – The Guardian

‘A judge who sentenced a “fragile and vulnerable” woman to five-and-a-half months in jail for begging has expressed alarm that no lawyer could be found to represent her because of problems over legal aid.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cuts to legal aid for prisoners ruled unlawful – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2017 in appeals, equality, legal aid, legal representation, news, prisons by sally

‘The government has lost a key court of appeal battle over access to legal aid for prisoners in a ruling that campaigners have called a groundbreaking victory.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid safety net applications up by 43% – Legal Voice

‘There has been a 43% increase in applications to LASPO’s safety net regime compared to last year and theLegal Aid Agency granted almost six out of 10. There were 441 applications for exceptional case funding received between October and December 2016, comprising 383 and 58 re-submissions. This compares to 308 in the same period for 2015.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 6th April 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk