Junior solicitor salaries
Guardian, News Concern, Business Mayor and Business Fast report that junior solicitors’ salaries have increased drastically, but at the cost to their mental health.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “The legal profession has a collective responsibility to make a positive work environment for everyone. Legal mental health charity LawCare has stated that stress is one of the most common reasons for calls to its helpline, due to long working hours and pressurised situations.
“We must address how some working practices contribute to an increased risk of poor mental health and work together to change things. Tackling excessive working hours and workloads, as well as ensuring better supervision and support, especially for junior lawyers, is essential. We call on firms to take action to address these issues.”
Self-represented litigants
Canadian Lawyer reports that according to a report by the Law Society of England and Wales, thousands represent themselves in divorce or separation cases due to a lack of access to legal aid. In a statement, Nick Emmerson, president of the Law Society, said, “Cases have almost trebled since the government brought in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, which cut large areas from legal aid overnight."
TA6 property form
Inside Conveyancing reports that Property Lawyers Action Group (PLAG) will maintain pressure on the Law Society and continue to call for reform, following last week’s failed vote of no confidence over updates to the TA6 property form.
Anti-SLAPPs Bill
Gazette, Gazette Ireland, Business Mayor and Business Fast report on the anti-SLAPPs Bill, as Labour delays proposals to ban oppressive SLAPPs lawsuits.
The Labour justice minister, Frederick Ponsonby said that discussions with the Law Society would continue, in order to come to a decision on SLAPPs.
India’s legal market
Economic Times and MSN India report that there are hurdles to the opening of the Indian legal market. The articles mention the Bar Council of India’s meeting with the Law Society and Bar Council of England and Wales, when the Indian legal market was opened to UK law firms.
Also worth a read:
- Labour urged to reform joint enterprise law to stop ‘systemic injustice’ - Guardian
- Judges reduce sentences in an effort to alleviate prison overcrowding - Times (£)
- Reoffending rates see notable increase – Solicitors Journal
- UK drops its challenge to ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu – FT (£)
- Police officer involved in the Manchester Airport assault is under criminal investigation - Standard
- Thousands of trafficking victims at risk of being forcibly removed from the country will now have their right to recover in the UK considered by Home Office - Guardian
- Rayner to tell councils to build homes on ‘grey belt’ land – Telegraph (£)
- Suella Braverman pulls out of Tory leadership contest – Telegraph (£)
- Assisted dying bill to be introduced in Parliament - BBC
- 28% surge in applications for lasting powers of attorney last year – Legal Futures
- Junior in-house solicitors enjoy bumper pay rises - Gazette
- Two lawyers competing for Team GB in this year’s Olympics - The Lawyer (£)
- Opinion: Time to end the ‘Innocence Tax’ – Solicitors Journal
- UK has been ranked only ‘partially open’ in new global report into press freedom - Justice Gap