Housing legal aid deserts
The Gazette and Letting Agent Today has reported that 12 areas of the UK have failed to attract any bids by law firms to the housing legal aid scheme, the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service. This means that these regions will not be able to offer legal aid advice for people facing eviction.
President of the Law Society Lubna Shuja voices our concerns: “For many, this type of contract is becoming increasingly difficult to make this work financially. As a result, some are instead choosing to leave the legal aid market altogether.
“We are really concerned that this could lead to less support being available for families at risk of losing their home at a time when we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. More and more people are struggling with rising rents, spiralling debt and mortgage costs.”
Find out more about our legal aid deserts campaign
Defence solicitors short-changed by government
The Gazette and Dispatchist examine the government’s approach to funding criminal legal aid solicitors, after it was revealed that public prosecutors received a cash injection from HM Treasury.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja is quoted: “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.”
Compulsory purchase laws
The Solicitors Journal reports the Law Commission has announced its review of the legislation governing the acquisition of land through compulsory purchase orders and the system for assessing the compensation awarded to parties.
It cites the Law Society’s June 2022 consultation response, when we said: “We have concerns as to whether the compulsory purchase order proposals are justifiable, equitable and compatible with human rights (Article 1 of the First Protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights and, if it is a dwelling, Article 8) when balancing the public interest against individual rights, as failing to recognise the hope value attached to a property will result in properties acquired for existing use, which will be less than market value.”
Poor court infrastructure
Today's Wills & Probate uses the Law Society’s report on the condition of court buildings to examine the deteriorating state of court infrastructure and the impact of continuing backlogs of cases on justice. The piece also mentions our five-point plan to improve the court system.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “The poor state of court buildings across England and Wales is both a contributor to the huge backlog of court cases and a stark illustration of the lack of investment in our justice system.
“Government after government have not only failed to invest in infrastructure but failed to invest in people too – the judges, court staff, solicitors and barristers who keep the wheels of justice turning and have made our justice system the envy of the world.”
Also worth a read:
- Half of 200 partners surveyed want to set up their own law firms - Gazette
- Barristers can’t avoid disciplinary action by renouncing status – Legal Futures
- Millions face 5% rise in council tax – Times (£)
- Home Office accused of victim blaming after violence outside asylum hotel - Guardian