In danger: criminal defence solicitors
The Times (£) and City AM report our concerns about the diminishing number of criminal legal solicitors with large parts of the country left underserved. It cites our research showing the mean average age of a duty solicitor in England and Wales rose from 47 to 49 in three years.
Read our press release
Our heatmap shows the picture across England and Wales
Court closures – the full impact
The Ministry Justice has revealed just how extensive the programme of court closures has been, reports the Gazette. Justice minister James Cartlidge has stated his department and the judiciary are continuing with a high volume of recruitment – 1,000 judges in 2021/22 and 1,100 in 2022/23 as well as 4,000 magistrates over the next few years.
Law Society of England and Wales president I. Stephanie Boyce said: "For many years we have been warning about the impact of underinvestment and cuts on the criminal justice system including court closures and limits on the number of days judges can sit. Given the backlog, which was exacerbated by the pandemic, no limit on sitting days in the Crown Court in 2021/22 was critical and we welcome efforts to boost judicial capacity.
"Of course, for the criminal justice system to function and the backlog to be tackled, ensuring access to justice for victims and defendants, you don't just need judges and prosecutors, you need criminal defence practitioners as well. It is vital that the increased funding identified in Sir Christopher Bellamy's independent review of criminal legal aid is implemented as soon as possible to ensure that defence capacity exists."
SIF warning
News the Law Society has joined up with the Legal Services Consumer Panel to urge the SRA to drop its plan to ditch the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) is covered by Legal Futures and Today's Conveyancer.
I. Stephanie Boyce said: "It is a sign of how seriously concerned we all are by the SRA's proposal that the body representing the interests of consumers of legal service is joining forces with the body representing the providers of those services to take on the statutory regulator.
"Our profession is happy to pay for SIF. Any knock-on cost to consumers will have negligible or no impact on the price of legal services – but even if it did, the increases would be tiny, measured in the 10s of pence."
Future of RSPCA as prosecutor
The Times (£) quotes chair of our criminal law committee Stuart Nolan in an article on the role of the RSPCA as a prosecutor.
Where there's a will
Ian Bond, a member of our wills and equity committee, was on BBC Radio Devon (from 9:08) talking all about wills.
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