Labour conference: Law Society legal aid call
Gazette and BusinessFast report the Law Society has used Labour’s party conference to renew calls for the government to commit to funding to restore legal aid for early advice.
Our vice-president Lubna Shuja told a Society of Labour Lawyers fringe event, which was attended by shadow justice secretary Steve Reed MP, that solicitors are the ‘silent backbone’ of the justice system and economy.
Lubna is reported as saying: “They help small firms with their transactions and contracts. They advise clients going through a divorce, they deal with immigration and asylum cases, they support people going through court generally. The work we are doing impacts everyone in this room.
She urged the government to commit to funding to restore legal aid for early advice “so solicitors can be involved early in the client’s journey” and called for an urgent review of the sustainability of legal aid, which must cover fees, the provider base and geographical demands of the system.
Economic Crime Bill
Legal Futures, LexisNexis (£) and Company Insight pick up our response to the second Economic Crime Bill, noting Law Society concerns over provisions to remove the £25,000 cap on fines the Solicitors Regulation Authority can impose in economic crime cases.
Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce is quoted saying: “We are concerned about what the proposed additional powers could mean for our members and how effective they will be in combating economic crime.
“We strongly urge the government to consider carefully the proportionality of any further regulation, given that there has been little evidence of the effectiveness or otherwise of the most recent changes to the SRA’s fining powers.
“The proposed unlimited powers would potentially include many more serious or significant cases which currently go before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and we maintain that this should remain the case.”
Diversity Access Scheme awards
New Law Journal reports 15 aspiring solicitors have been awarded places on the Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme (DAS).
I. Stephanie Boyce said: “I hugely admire DAS awardees’ achievements in the face of great challenges – previous scholars spent their childhoods in care, are disabled, and others escaped oppressive regimes.”
Future of the Bill of Rights in question
Legal Action Group discusses what will happen with government plans for human rights reform with the Bill of Rights second reading having been pulled by the new PM. The blog notes the Law Society does “not believe there is a case for the sweeping reforms proposed.”
Read our analysis of the Bill of Rights
Don’t Pay UK on hold
The Big Issue picks up news the energy crisis action group Don’t Pay UK has said its planned energy bills strike will not happen until one million people in the UK sign up. Council membership committee member Gary Rycroft told the Big Issue refusing to pay bills could have “dire consequences for the individuals concerned.
“The bottom line is that you’re a customer and you signed a contract with your energy company. If you don’t pay, the business is within its legal rights to cease providing energy to you. That doesn’t happen immediately. There’s lots of safeguards in place but ultimately, a court will have no difficulty in finding in favour of a business. Anyone who doesn’t pay is liable to not have any energy anymore.
“Secondly, anyone who doesn’t pay is going to have a debt.”
Also worth a read: