PM calls for change to international law to prevent break
Sky News reports the Prime Minister will today call for changes to European Court of Human Rights Rule 39, which was the mechanism that prevented the UK government removing asylum-seekers to Rwanda in 2022.
The article notes Law Society concerns the Illegal Migration Bill would lead to the UK breaching international law. Richard Atkinson, the Deputy Vice President of the Law Society, is cited saying: "If the UK were to refuse to comply with a European Court of Human Rights ruling this would entail a clear and serious breach of international law.
“The rule of law means governments respect and follow domestic and international law and disputes are ruled on by independent courts.”
The report is picked up by Arab News, Yahoo News, MSN, Gold Radio, Capital FM, Smooth Radio, Radio Exe, Isle of Wight Radio, Kingdom FM, Black Country Radio, Sunshine Radio and other radio stations.
Mental health lawyers are willing to strike over pay
The Gazette reports mental health lawyers are demanding a big rise in civil legal aid rates that have slumped in real terms over the last 15 years, and a recent poll found 85% said they are prepared to withdraw their labour to get it.
The Gazette notes the Law Society says the number of firms with mental health contracts fell from 274 in 2011/12 to 169 a decade later.
Our 2021 statistics on the declining number of civil legal aid providers are cited by Insurance Edge and You Talk Insurance.
Finance Bill warning
The Gazette reports the Law Society today reminded private client solicitors that the Finance Bill is set to restrict charitable tax reliefs to UK charities only, with donations located in the EU and the European Economic Arena (EEA) no longer qualifying for UK charitable tax reliefs from April 2024.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “Firms will have to consider whether they have wills which need to be revised and to be aware that there is now a reduced pool of organisations which will qualify as a charity.”
Explaining our call to government to extend its full corporation tax expensing policy – which is also in the Finance Bill – to the legal sector, Lubna added: “Many law firms operate under the partnership model and as such partners are taxed individually. This means they do not pay corporation tax and so cannot access the scheme. This creates an odd situation where an insurance company could invest in IT and receive the allowance, but a law firm next door doing the same thing would be unable to do so.”
Mental Health Awareness Week
Law Society President Lubna Shuja writes in the Gazette about Mental Health Awareness Week.
Lubna writes: “We know that legal professionals are thought to experience higher levels of anxiety, depression, stress and lower levels of mental wellbeing than the general population.
“LawCare’s Life in the Law report found that 61% of participants had often experienced anxiety over the last 12 months.”
Lubna goes on to outline the range of challenges and support available to the profession to support better mental health.
London Legal Walk
Legal Cheek warms up for the London Legal Walk, which will take part on 13 June, noting Law Society President Lubna Shuja will be a leading walker alongside Supreme Court President Lord Reed, Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey Vos and the Attorney General Victoria Prentis MP.
Families’ wait for Lasting Power of Attorney
Today UK News reports that some families are waiting up to 1,000 days to get Lasting Power of Attorney for their loved ones.
Sheree Green, a member of our Mental Health and Disability Committee, said: “If a person has lost capacity while applying for a power of attorney then you can apply to the Court of Protection, but this is a relatively complex procedure, and is not a solution if the person still has capacity.”
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