Probate delays
A Law Society spokesperson is quoted in a Guardian article covering long waiting lists for many goods and services such as passports, driving licences, lease extensions, and tax rebates.
Speaking on delays in relation to probate the spokesperson said: "We have repeatedly said the probate service already faced delays before the Covid-19 pandemic, and while some of these delays have been addressed with the new online system, there are still issues with the service."
UK Australia trade deal
The Gazette and Practice Source report our response to the UK Australia trade deal.
"Enshrining the right to advise on home-country laws and public and private international law where they're entitled to practise in their home jurisdiction in the FTA is an important achievement as it recognises the specificities of home title practice in international legal practice, without the need for mutual recognition procedures and/or requalification in the host country," said Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce.
Diversity
Legal Business quotes our data in an article on diversity in the legal profession.
Meanwhile New Law Journal looks at the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) report on candidate progression through judicial selection tools. Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates do less well than White candidates for the majority of selection tools (a 6% success rate compared to a 14% success rate).
Similarly, overall solicitor candidates do less well than barrister candidates for all five selection tools (multiple choice, scenario test, paper sift, telephone assessment and selection day), even when controlling for ethnicity and Oxbridge attendance.
Law Society vice president Lubna Shuja said "We are deeply concerned to see the new data about the significantly lower success rates of diverse applicants in the JAC process. We call on the JAC to investigate urgently the reasons for this differential performance and remove any remaining barriers. We will continue to support our members to make strong judicial applications and pursue their judicial aspirations, but we want to see them have equal chances of being appointed."
Read our press release on judicial diversity
Read our press release on the gender pay gap
Read our race for inclusion report
Human Rights Act
The Gazette reports on our criticism of proposed reforms to the Human Rights Act which include scrapping the act and replacing it with a Bill of Rights.
"Any reform of this subtle and carefully crafted legal instrument must be led by evidence not driven by political rhetoric. The so-called Bill of Rights would make life easier for government at great cost to the nation, eroding our rights, placing the UK outside the international community and on a collision course with the European Court of Human Rights," said I. Stephanie Boyce.
LawTech
Solicitors Journal references our report 'The Future of Legal Services' in an article stressing the importance of LawTech.
Nationality and Borders Bill
The Asian Independent covers criticisms of the UK Nationality and Borders Bill. The article quotes our parliamentary briefing which raises our concern that allowing differential treatments of refugees depending on how they arrive in the UK would penalise those arriving via irregular means, which is incompatible with the UK's obligations under the Refugee Convention 1951.
Conveyancing forms
Estate Agent Today references the updated conveyancing forms that we have helped coordinate along with the Conveyancing Association, CILEX, and the Society of Licensed Conveyancers.
Also worth a read:
- Sadiq Khan declares London covid cases a "major incident" – Guardian
- SRA demands summary strike-off of solicitor – Gazette
- Demands to delay rises in state pension age – BBC
- Liz Truss replaces Lord Frost in post-Brexit talks – BBC
- Christmas curbs could be brought in within days, says Sajid Javid – Guardian