Diversity Access Scheme
The Gazette reports the opening of our Diversity Access Scheme, which aims to improve social mobility and diversity in the legal profession.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “Our profession needs talented, driven individuals from diverse backgrounds to thrive. I encourage any aspiring solicitor who is facing particular challenges on their way to qualification to consider applying for a place on the scheme.”
Read our press release
Protect cohabiting rights
According to the Guardian a decline in marriages has led to calls to protect rights for couples who are not in legally registered partnerships.
Karen Dovaston, Chair of our Family Law Committee, said: “If we recognise cohabitation as OK then we should look at legislation that supports that.”
Four-day working week
Max Winthrop, a member of our Employment Law Committee, spoke to BBC Essex (from 03:13:41) about the four-day working week trial and its impact on employees, employers, and work culture.
The Gazette reports that the four-day working week is unlikely to be embraced by the legal profession, largely due to work culture, while Legal Futures reports on a family law firm which is committing to a four-day working week.
Regional admission ceremonies
The Times (£) reports the Law Society is hoping to conduct a trial of regional admission ceremony this year.
Nightingale Courts
New Law Journal reveals our reaction to the news 24 Nightingale courtrooms will remain open for another year to help alleviate the backlog of Crown Court cases.
Law Society president Lubna Shuja said: “The most pressing issue is there are not enough lawyers, court staff or judges to cover all the outstanding cases. Long-term investment is needed across the whole criminal justice system to remedy this.”
UK’s accession to Hague 19 Convention
New Law Journal covers the Law Society’s call for the UK’s accession to the Hague 19 Convention.
President of the Law Society Lubna Shuja said: “The UK’s prompt accession to the Hague 19 Convention would help to ensure UK businesses have greater confidence entering cross-border contracts and investment relationships.”
Government Legal Department
The Law Society’s recommended minimum salary for trainee solicitors is mentioned in a Times (£) piece about careers in the Government Legal Department.
Home Office monitors immigration lawyers
The Gazette Ireland covers our response to Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick’s comments that the Home Office is monitoring immigration lawyers.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “The small boats problem is primarily about the government’s ability to process asylum claims effectively, the quality of its casework and the narrowness of so-called ‘legal’ routes for asylum seekers.”
Housing Legal aid deserts
Central Housing Group reports 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.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “The fact that the government has failed to attract any bids for housing legal aid provision in 12 areas of the UK – including large areas like Liverpool – shows just how unviable it has become for providers.”
Find out more about our legal aid deserts campaign
Also worth a read:
- Questionnaire rather than interview for thousands of asylum seekers - BBC
- Data needed to solve justice system crisis – Times (£)
- Common Platform concerns – Gazette & Legal Futures
- Police calling for ‘fair’ pay increase – Independent