Criminal legal aid and the crown court backlog
Stuart Nolan, chair of the Law Society’s criminal law committee spoke to Times Radio this morning about the chronic underfunding of the criminal justice system and how this affects solicitors.
Legal Brief, LancsLive and Northern Echo also report on our call for more funding for the criminal justice system and the need to implement the increase in legal aid rates recommended in the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid.
LancsLive also looks at the barrister strike while Northern Echo reports on the crown court backlog in the North East.
Law Society President I. Stephanie Boyce said “The criminal justice system is in crisis.
“The courts are crumbling, there aren’t enough judges and lawyers, and victims and defendants are facing unacceptable delays in accessing justice.”
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Updating wedding laws
Elle covers reactions to the Law Commission’s proposals for updating wedding laws.
I. Stephanie Boyce said the report “offers a much-needed opportunity to bring our marriage laws into the 21st century.”
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Guidance on corporate undertakings
The Gazette, Legal Futures and Law 360 report on our new guidance on how solicitors should best handle corporate undertakings.
“This is an important area for all solicitors, whether working in private practice, in-house or as freelance solicitors working for non-SRA authorised entities, not least because a breach of undertaking may be tantamount to professional misconduct,” said I. Stephanie Boyce.
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CILEx may transfer oversight to SRA
CILEx (the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) is in talks with the SRA to consider transferring regulation of its members to the SRA, reports Today’s Wills and Probate, Today’s Family Lawyer and Today’s Conveyancer.
Articles mention that under the proposal solicitors and legal executives would continue to have separate membership bodies.
SLAPPs
The Law Society of Ireland Gazette reports on the proposal to overhaul Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in the UK.
“We are pleased to see the government has taken on board some of our recommendations to ensure SLAPPs do not have a chilling effect on freedom of speech or the right to a private life,” said I. Stephanie Boyce.
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Using social media
Farah Ali, a member of the Junior Lawyers Division committee, writes in the Gazette about the risks of airing personal views on social media.
Diversity in property
Karl Brown, one of our social mobility ambassadors, writes in Property Week about how legal professionals can be agents of change in the property world and have a positive role to play in helping to improve the diversity of the property industry.
Also worth a read:
- LAA reveals recruitment and retention struggles – Gazette
- More rape cases reaching court in England and Wales– Guardian
- ‘Damning’ report slams ‘poor’ Home Office response to Channel crossings – Independent
- Top-50 financial results table 2022: updated live – Gazette
- Tinder: Women’s safety now at the heart of the app – BBC