UK general election
Times (£) reports on the steps a new Labour government can take to restore the justice system.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: The new justice secretary must invest in a “root and branch review of the whole justice system, including legal aid and courts estate. At the same time improving access to justice is a priority — we have to ensure everyone, with no exceptions, has access to advice and representation.”
TA6 conveyancing form
Solicitor’s Journal, Legal Futures, Inside Conveyancing, Estate Agent Today and Lexis Nexis (£) report that the Law Society has launched a six-month consultation on the updated TA6 conveyancing form.
Chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “We are committed to engaging with conveyancers across the country in the coming months to discuss issues relating to the new edition of the TA6 form.
“We want to hear from conveyancers who have used the forms and also those who haven’t and understand why they haven’t.
“We want to understand users’ experience and views of the TA6 form and its part in the wider conveyancing landscape and to identify improvements to the property form.”
Read our press release
Civil justice
President Nick Emmerson writes in the Guardian about the growing crisis in civil justice and urges the new Labour government to invest in the system and prioritise a review of civil legal aid.
CILEX regulation
Australasian Lawyer, Canadian Lawyer and A Lawyer Writes report that the SRA has decided to regulate CILEX members.
Chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “The change will cause consumer confusion, as it will be less clear which profession is which, and where different authorisations for practice areas apply. This is likely to be a particular problem for those with complex legal issues, or vulnerable consumers.”
Judicial diversity
Gazette and Legal Futures report that the number of solicitor judges remains low, despite efforts to boost diversity on the bench.
President Nick Emmerson said: “Today’s figures show that there is still much work to do before the judiciary truly reflects society at large. Gradual improvement in the proportion of women judges and those from ethnic minority backgrounds have been concentrated at the lower end of the courts.
“Solicitors made up more than half of applicants yet less than a third of recommendations, while there has been no progress on Black representation on the bench in over a decade.
“The number of non-barristers who hold the position of recorder stands at 8% and has barely risen over the last 11 years. Until this percentage significantly increases, the lack of solicitors holding senior judicial posts will continue.”
UK-Greece relations
Politico reports that UK solicitors may be one step closer to practicing in Greece under their home titles. The piece mentions the Law Society’s trip to Greece to work on the issue.
Vice president Richard Atkinson said: “As lawyers cease to practice, be that because of retirement, return to the U.K., movement to another office, or the end of a traineeship overseas, no-one new can now come to Greece to replace them.”
Human rights law
Epoch Times (£) and Australian National Review report that the Law Society has called on the Chinese government to end its clampdown on human rights lawyers and activists.
Also worth a read:
- The government’s emergency plan to release prisoners early to ease overcrowding will be revealed today - BBC, Guardian
- Prison sources say law and order could break down if new emergency measures are not taken to address prison overcrowding – inews (£)
- Can Labour solve our prisons crisis? – The Spectator
- Legal advocacy group urges the government to cut custody remands to tackle prison crisis – Gazette
- Opinion: Immediate steps must be taken, combined with long-term reform and investment, to fix Britain’s prison crisis – FT (£)
- BSB slaps down Bar Council over diversity and equality work – Legal Futures
- Open letter calls on Labour to support urgent IPP reform – Solicitors Journal
- Magistrates’ Association urges the new government to make criminal and family justice a priority - Today’s Family Lawyer
- India has warned the UK not to impose a deadline on trade talks - Financial Times (£)
- Post Office boss steps back from front-line duties to prepare for critical next stage of the Horizon IT inquiry - BBC
- Government prepares king’s speech containing at least 30 bills - Guardian
- A new service offering help through a chatbot will fill a gap in the UK legal market by using AI to help millions of people who cannot afford lawyers - Times (£)
- Survey shows that clients are yet to see AI benefits – The Lawyer (£)