Autumn Statement
The Gazette and New Law Journal cover our reaction to yesterday’s Autumn Statement.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “While it is great news for business that full expensing has been made permanent, it is disappointing that parts of the legal services sector have once again been overlooked.
“Our call for the scheme to be expanded to include all law firms has gone unheard.
“Legal services are an economic powerhouse and the government must do more to support this crucial sector and allow it to invest and flourish.
Vision for the future of the family and civil courts
Today’s Family Lawyer, Today’s Conveyancer and Today’s Wills and Probate all look at the Ministry of Justice’s vision for the future of the civil and family courts and tribunals system.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “Unmet legal need costs our economy and wider society millions of pounds each year, so we welcome the government’s aim to make it easier for people to resolve disputes and realise their rights.
“Over the past year, the Law Society’s 21st Century Justice project has been consulting with solicitors, legal services consumers and organisations working across civil justice on how to achieve this, including using technology to support the delivery of information, advice and triage of those with legal problems and improving online court systems.
“Our research with legal services consumers found that whilst digital solutions can play a significant role, the availability of community-based in-person advice was considered a critical element of the civil justice system.
“In order to make the civil, family and tribunal system fit for the 21st Century, there must be a robust system of collecting, analysing and publishing data.
“The civil and family justice systems are in crisis due to continued delays and backlogs in the courts. The ones who suffer the most are the public, who are left in legal limbo while they wait for their case to be heard.”
Legal regulators
Legal Futures reports the Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) saying consolidation of legal regulators “may be a good thing” if designed to achieve the “pulling together of knowledge, lessons, consumer research and engagement”.
The piece mentions our concerns about CILEX’s proposed switch of regulators.
“We have concerns about the risk to the reputation of the SRA and a loss of confidence in its regulatory capacity due to a real or perceived lack of partiality towards inevitable competition between the professions represented by the Law Society and CILEX,” we said.
Climate change guidance
LawCareers.Net reports that two-thirds of junior lawyers want the right to refuse work for ethical reasons. The piece mentions our milestone guidance on the impact of climate change on solicitors.
The Times (£) covers the same story.
Also worth a read:
- Arbitration Bill published – Legal Futures
- MPs to investigate Coroner Service – New Law Journal
- Tax cuts fuel talk of spring election – Guardian
- One third of in-house legal teams aim to use AI to reduce costs – New Law Journal