Raab’s real-terms criminal legal aid cut
The BBC, Standard, Daily Mail, BBC Radio 4 (from 19:17), Times Brief, Independent, Gazette, Legal News Wales, Legal Futures, Law360 (£) and hundreds of regional publications including Belfast Telegraph, the National Scotland and South Wales Argus cover our reaction to Dominic Raab imposing a real-terms cut on criminal legal aid rates for solicitors, announced in yesterday’s final government response to the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid yesterday.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “Dominic Raab has made the wrong decision in not implementing the immediate 15% criminal legal aid rate rise for solicitors. The independent review recommended this a year ago as a bare minimum to prevent the criminal defence sector from collapsing.
“Instead, he is imposing a real-terms cut on fees that have been frozen since the 1990s.”
Politico’s London Playbook also covers our response in detail, noting “Solicitors are mulling disruptive measures and legal action against Dominic Raab after the MoJ boss announced a real-terms cut to criminal legal aid.”
Law Society’ Deputy Vice President Richard Atkinson told Playbook: “This decision illustrates a clear disregard for the criminal justice system and those working in it and will only compound the chaos we are seeing in the courts and prisons.”
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Call for step-change in socio-economic diversity
City AM and Law 360 (£) report our support for the Social Mobility Taskforce’s recommendations for the City of London.
Law Society president Lubna Shuja said: “Where you start in life should not determine where you end up. We are pleased to have contributed to the Taskforce’s work to boost social mobility in the financial and professional services sector.”
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Judicial diversity
Company Insight covers our response to the publication of an independent report to help the Judicial Diversity Forum improve its effectiveness.
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Also worth a read:
- Prison overcrowding – BBC
- SRA fining powers - Gazette
- Public trust in lawyers and judges has dropped - Legal Cheek
- Suspects bailed due to digital backlog – Telegraph (£)