Defence solicitors short-changed by government
HM Treasury will provide public prosecutors and bar chiefs extra cash, despite not doing the same for criminal defence solicitors, the Gazette reports.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “We note with interest that the government has agreed with Lord Bellamy that equality of arms between legal defence and prosecution is important, and consequently the government has increased payment rates for prosecution barristers in line with their defence counterparts.
“There needs to be equality of arms with defence solicitors too. There is no reason why the Treasury cannot also provide a similar remedy for defence solicitors, as set out in Lord Bellamy’s independent report.
“This must be a priority to address the seriously damaging inequality that has led to more than 1,000 duty solicitors leaving the profession since 2017, many of them to the Crown Prosecution Service.
“The government continues to short-change defence solicitors despite their crucial role as the backbone of the criminal justice system.”
Disputing a will
Melinda Giles, a member of our Wills and Equity Committee, spoke with BBC Radio Shropshire (from 36:12) about the law around disputing a will in the UK, after it emerged that Priscilla Presley was disputing her daughter Lisa Marie’s will in the US.
LSB continues focus on equality, diversity and inclusion
The Solicitors Journal covers our response to the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) 2023-2024 business plan.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “We note that the LSB’s continued focus on EDI aligns with the Law Society’s priorities.
“We would, however, like to see a stronger focus on the LSB’s core statutory functions under the Legal Services Act 2007. This should include publishing robust evidence of effective regulatory performance by the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) – and holding them to account for outcomes and costs.
“We welcome the LSB’s focus on understanding and addressing the problem of over-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors in the disciplinary process. We call on the oversight regulator to invest in understanding the factors behind this imbalance and address it.”
New chair of LSB
The Gazette and Legal Futures reports Alan Kershaw will take over from Helen Phillips as Chair of the LSB on 1 April 2023.
Law Society president Lubna Shuja said: “We congratulate Alan Kershaw on his appointment as the new chair of the LSB. We look forward to working constructively with him.
“During her four-year tenure, Helen Phillips has made great strides in improvements to public legal education about the legal services market, which we applaud.
“We will continue to work constructively with the LSB by representing the interests of our members in a profession which upholds high standards.”
Deepfakes and intellectual property
Giles Parsons, a member of our Intellectual Property Law Committee, spoke with talkRadio (from 00:07:58) about the law around deepfakes and celebrities, after ITV launched its Deep Fake Neighbour Wars last month.
Fixed recoverable costs for housing cases delayed
The Gazette and the Association of Costs Lawyers report the government has delayed the implementation of fixed recoverable costs (FRCs) for housing cases for two years.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “The complexity and unique nature of housing cases makes them unsuitable for the application of FRCs. The delay in the introduction of these fixed costs will enable housing solicitors, including legal aid providers, to continue their important work in helping clients resolve housing issues efficiently.
“We are encouraged that the Ministry of Justice has listened to our concerns and is taking a holistic approach to costs in housing disputes. If the government does not completely abandon the implementation of FRCs in housing cases, there will be a real risk that those facing a housing crisis will not have access to justice.”
Also worth a read:
- PM plans ‘mini-reshuffle’ after Zahawi sacking – Guardian
- Civil mediators ready for compulsory mediation – Legal Futures
- Taylor Wessing launches solicitor apprenticeship programme – Legal Cheek
- In-house lawyer tells her salary story – Refinery29
- LeO has 22 enforcement actions against lawyers – Legal Futures