Government targeting ‘lefty’ lawyers
The Financial Times (£) examines the government’s latest attacks on “lefty” lawyers. It cites our joint statement with the Bar Council after CCHQ published a dossier on immigration lawyer Jacqueline McKenzie.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “By using language like this they’re undermining the rule of law and they are undermining trust in the legal profession, the legal system and the justice system.”
She added that other lawyers have been “receiving hate mail and are genuinely worried about their own safety,” with the spike in abuse from members of the public due to “rhetoric that’s been coming out from senior politicians and from some parts of the media.”
Read our joint statement with the Bar Council
£11.3m investment needed for early legal advice
The Gazette and the Solicitors Journal cover our urgent call to the Justice Secretary to urgently give civil legal aid providers a 15% fee increase to keep the sector afloat until the Civil Legal Aid Review publishes its report in a year.
“Early legal advice is vanishing and people are unable to get the advice they need when they need it most. The government’s review of Civil Legal Aid is not expected to report until 2024, with any recommendations taking even longer to implement. To sustain the civil legal aid system until this time, the Justice Secretary must urgently implement an interim 15% increase (£11.3 million) for providers of early legal advice now,” said Law Society President Lubna Shuja.
“Law Society analysis suggests that the number of civil legal aid providers could drop by a third by 2025, leaving many without access to a lawyer when they desperately need one.
“High inflation and the cost-of-living crisis is making it harder to get by day-to-day in the UK. If you add to that a family facing eviction, bankruptcy or fighting for welfare benefits to stay afloat, early advice is needed now more than ever.”
Lubna Shuja on being first Asian and first Muslim President
Law Society President Lubna Shuja speaks to Jurist about being our first Asian and first Muslim leader in our 200-year history.
She said: “At the moment here, we’ve got a massive crisis in our legal aid system in criminal legal aid and in civil legal aid, we have got solicitors who are leaving these areas of work in droves because they just can’t afford to do it anymore, and we’ve had no increase in the rates for legal aid for about 25 years.
“Solicitors underpin absolutely everything that goes on in society and if you did not have solicitors, there would be chaos. They’re the ones who deal with every part of the legal process. So it’s about promoting the value of solicitors to society, and promoting why they’re important to rule of law issues.”
Javed Malik welcomes Law Society President
Business Recorder, the Nation, Pakistan Observer, UAE Times, Mena FN and MSN report that Javed Malik, President of the Dubai Diplomat Business Club welcomed Lubna Shuja and her delegation at a reception attended by lawyers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and diplomats.
Law Society President Lubna Shuja thanked the Diplomat Club and Javed Malik for the reception and that her visit to the region highlights the importance the Law Society of England and Wales attaches to its international members as it continues to engage more closely with lawyers around the world.
She added that she was delighted to meet lawyers from various countries and welcomed the growing interest in those also seeking to qualify as English solicitors through the SQE.
Russian sanctions on UK legal services
The Institute of Export & International Trade covers the government’s recent Russian sanctions on legal services.
A Law Society spokesperson said: “The Law Society has been working closely with government and a group of sanctions compliance experts to address the workability of the government’s sanctions on Russia accessing UK legal expertise.
“We welcome the publication of a General Licence and updated statutory guidance – but this is only a sticking plaster. Significant amendments are required to the original regulations to fully ensure sanctions compliance advice can be given and that legal professional privilege is protected.”
Home Office still fighting immigration backlog
Solicitors Journal (£) covers our reaction to the government’s latest immigration statistics, which show the backlog has risen.
Law Society Deputy Vice President Richard Atkinson said: “A week and a half after the government launched its ‘small boats week’, their own statistics show far too many people fleeing persecution and war are waiting too long for a decision on their request for sanctuary in the UK.
“The figures published are staggering with more than 170,00 people waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claim. The claims being dealt with by the Home Office are also at a record high.
“These figures show that the growing backlog is due to inefficiency and under resourcing of the asylum system.”
Also worth a read:
- Quiet office days: Law Society canvasses views – Gazette
- 58% of lawyers positive about AI in the workplace – Legal Futures
- Police chiefs respond to Home Secretary’s call to investigate every theft – Sky News
- Flight delays continue after air traffic control failure – Guardian
- Pakistan police widening search for family of Sara Sharif – BBC News