Reoffending statistics
Oxford Mail, Bristol World, Sussex World, Nottingham World, Lincolnshire World, Liverpool World, Wellington Weekly News, Totnes Times, Tenby Observer and more than 100 regional outlets cover new findings on the number of young people with criminal records that reoffend within a year.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “Reoffending is yet another issue that is impacted by systemic underfunding of the criminal justice system.
“To succeed in reducing reoffending rates, there needs to be investment in rehabilitation, particularly in relation to literacy and addiction, and support for those who have offended because of reasons connected with their mental health.
“This investment is likely to pay for itself in terms of reduced crime, reduced numbers of cases coming into the courts and reduced pressure on prisons. It needs to be one part of an overall strategy of investing effectively throughout the system to create a justice system fit for the 21st century.”
Solicitors may pay for Axiom Ince fallout
The Gazette, Legal Cheek, Legal Futures, Law360 (£), Today’s Wills and Probate, Today’s Family Lawyer, Today’s Conveyancer and Paradise News cover the Law Society’s concerns that solicitors may have to pay for the fallout of Axiom Ince.
We call on the SRA to consult the solicitor profession before deciding that solicitors must pay a one-off levy.
Law Society chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “As the representative body for the solicitor profession, we are of course greatly concerned that our members could be asked to plug a gap of many millions of pounds in the Compensation Fund arising from the collapse of just three law firms, which were set up under atypical business models and with their own clear and inherent risks.
“We would expect the solicitor profession to be consulted before any decision is made by the SRA on its approach to these exceptional compensation questions, given that our members would be required to pay for it and it is their collective reputation at stake.”
Role of AI in legal profession
The Gazette, Inside Conveyancing and Practice Source report the Law Society’s artificial intelligence regulation recommendations, as the government’s AI Safety Summit begins today.
President Nick Emmerson said: “As the government prepares for its summit on AI, we are working with our members to show the benefits of AI for the legal profession.
“The legal profession plays an integral role in shaping the future of AI regulation. We recognise AI’s potential to transform lives, boost the economy and increase access to justice. However, our members need further clarity on legislation, procurement practices and how discrepancies across sectors will be mitigated to enable the profession to make the most of these technologies.”
The Gazette also reveals that Law Society chief executive officer, Ian Jeffery, chaired a session at the IBA’s annual conference about the role of AI in the legal profession.
Unbundled legal services
The Law Society is calling on our members to tell us about their experience of offering unbundled legal services – which reduces overall cost but enables access to expert advice at critical stages.
We encourage interested members to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 17 November. A roundtable will also be held in the New Year to gather more views.
President Nick Emmerson tells Today’s Conveyancer: “Recent research has highlighted the benefits of unbundling for consumers. As such, it is important that the Law Society better understands how members are delivering unbundled services and the risks and benefits.
“We are particularly interested in how they are managing their liability and the extent to which these services are expanding their client base and increasing revenue.
"We encourage members to share their views to help us understand how we can best support them in delivering unbundled services going forward.”
Unmet legal needs
Legal Futures reports that an event on unmet legal needs, hosted by Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP), discussed the importance of social welfare law and proposed a potential levy in practising fees to fund the unmet need.
Law Society head of justice, Richard Miller, spoke at the event about the urgent need for legal aid and highlighted the Law Society’s research on legal aid deserts for social welfare law.
Also worth a read:
- Number of cases filed in the UK Supreme Court increases by 23% - Solicitors Journal
- Criminal bar rejects Law Commission suggestion of juryless trials in rape cases - Gazette
- New research shows that 45% of surveyed consumers accuse solicitors of slow response time in the home-buying process – Legal Futures
- Councils ask judge to stop plans to house asylum seekers on former RAF bases - Guardian
- Kirkland & Ellis adds partners from Latham & Watkins and White & Case to open an office in Saudi Arabia - Global Legal Post
- Explainer: AI Safety Summit – i News (£)