Legal aid fees
Irish Legal News and Scottish Legal News report that lawyers are taking the Lord Chancellor to court over claims that legal aid fees are so low they are preventing lawyers from providing representation for thousands of eligible people.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “The civil justice system is in a precarious state and ultimately the ones who will suffer are those trying to seek justice.”
Court delays
LawCareers.Net covers record levels of criminal court delays, as the MoJ’s new statistics indicate an unprecedented number of outstanding Crown court cases.
President Nick Emmerson said: “It is alarming to see the criminal court backlogs continue to spiral. It is unacceptable that victims, witnesses and defendants are having to wait so long, with their lives in limbo, to access justice.”
Pro Bono Recognition List
Barrister Magazine and Solicitors Journal report on the Pro Bono Recognition List, which recognises lawyers for their dedication to provide pro bono services.
President Nick Emmerson said: “The Pro Bono Recognition List highlights the incredible dedication of the lawyers who volunteered their time and expertise to help people who cannot afford legal representation. The generosity of these lawyers ensures justice is not just for the privileged. They offer a lifeline to people with legal issues but without the financial means to address them. This list reminds us of the crucial role pro bono plays in our society, filling the gaps left by an overburdened and underfunded legal aid system.”
Property information forms
Solicitors Journal and Inside Conveyancing report that the Law Society has extended the transition period for the TA6 form by six months, allowing continued use of the previous form until January 15, 2025, to accommodate feedback from property section members.
Lawyers at risk
Solicitors Journal covers the Law Society’s concerns about lawyers at risk in the Philippines, as a culture of impunity prevails around attacks on Filipino lawyers.
Vice president Richard Atkinson said: “The number of lawyers that have been harassed, threatened and killed is of grave concern. What is especially distressing is the lack of accountability for these attacks.
“In the last 16 years, at least 271 incidents of work-related attacks on Filipino lawyers and judges have been recorded, including 90 killings.
“Perpetrators of these attacks are not held accountable, as targeted lawyers are publicly designated as enemies of the state and face arbitrary charges of terrorism. It seems that this dangerous labelling of lawyers is the primary reason for the high rate of killings in the Philippines.”
Also worth a read:
- Under a criminal justice action plan prepared by a justice reform charity for the next government, prisoners serving shorter sentences would be released earlier and less serious cases would be heard by the magistrates' courts - Gazette
- Increased pay rises for the most junior London lawyers at elite firms have been criticised by rivals and clients - Financial Times (£)
- Scrap jail terms of less than a year, says former Labour justice secretary – Telegraph (£)
- SRA issues M&A warning to law firm buyers and sellers – Legal Futures
- Law firm moves staff to four-day week – Legal Futures
- Conservatives drop pledge to scrap short sentences – Inside Time
- Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched a free legal advice service for rape and assault survivors - Standard
- Nigel Farage has unveiled the Reform Party manifesto - Times (£), Gazette
- Lord Falconer has backed a report recommending that offenders should instead be handed suspended sentences, combined with community punishments, to reduce the flow of offenders into jails - Telegraph (£)
- Children trapped in war zones because of UK refusal to ease refugee visa rules - Guardian
- 27% of SME law firms have not yet embraced the SQE – Legal Futures