All articles by Catherine Baksi – Page 60
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News
Lib Dem dissenters told LASPO reforms will go ahead
The Law Society and Bar Council have urged Liberal Democrats to hold their party to account over the government’s reforms of legal aid and civil litigation costs. But Lib Dem peer and justice minister Lord McNally (pictured), who will pilot the legislation through the Lords, has signalled that compromise is ...
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Legal aid bill ‘contravenes UN convention’
The government’s plans to remove legal aid in private law family cases will place the UK in breach of its obligations under a United Nations convention to prevent discrimination against women, the Gazette has been told. Cris McCurley, partner and head of international family law at ...
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Charity in legal aid challenge on clinical negligence
Action Against Medical Accidents has launched a legal challenge against the government’s controversial plans to scrap legal aid for clinical negligence cases. The charity has issued judicial review proceedings, arguing that the Ministry of Justice's decision to remove such cases from scope is irrational and unfair. ...
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Telephone gateway plan could face judicial review
Government plans to introduce a mandatory telephone gateway to the civil legal aid scheme are facing a legal challenge which is supported by The Law Society. The Public Law Project, acting on behalf of ten specialist legal aid firms, has issued an application for permission to apply for a judicial ...
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Family bar warns of ‘bleak’ future at national meeting
Family barristers have warned of a ‘bleak’ future for family justice if the government’s legal aid cuts are implemented as planned. At a national meeting last weekend, the Family Law Bar Association said the reforms set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders ...
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Lib Dems call for legal aid to be retained in benefits appeals
The Liberal Democrats have condemned the cuts to legal aid for welfare benefits appeals. At its autumn conference, the party called on the government to retain legal aid for people appealing welfare benefit decisions, and voted through a motion condemning the government’s welfare reform plans. ...
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Law Society announces Excellence Awards shortlist
The Law Society has today unveiled the shortlist of lawyers and firms nominated for this year’s Excellence Awards. The 17 awards recognise outstanding achievement by legal professionals at firms of all sizes across England and Wales, in categories ranging from community investment to client service, with ...
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Community sentences are no soft option
The prison population has reached a record high of 87,120, according to figures released on Friday by the Ministry of Justice. But does being tough on crime mean offenders have to go to prison, or are community sentences and reparation actually tougher? And are the latter ...
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News
Legal aid cuts: the fight goes on
Campaign groups have vowed to continue their fight against the government’s legal aid cuts, following the rejection of opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill by a committee of MPs. The Public Bill Committee, charged with scrutinising the proposals, last week ...
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Bid to exempt Trafigura-type claims from reform fails
Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs have rejected an amendment to legislation that would exempt claims brought by foreigners against UK multinationals from civil litigation reforms. The Public Bill Committee debated the amendment to the Legal Aid, Punishment of Offenders and Sentencing Bill, tabled by Labour ...
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News
Commons rejects Brussels proposal for EU-wide rights for suspects
MPs have voted against a proposal to safeguard the rights of suspects detained at police stations across Europe to have access to lawyer. Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke tabled a motion last week recommending that the UK should not opt into a draft European Union directive that ...
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Chancery Lane strikes new deal for cheaper indemnity insurance
Firms with Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) and Lexcel accreditation will be able to take advantage of reduced professional indemnity insurance premiums, following a deal agreed between the Law Society and broker Hera Indemnity. Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: ‘There has been anecdotal evidence that Lexcel can reduce ...
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News
LSC chief’s exit worries lawyer groups
Lawyers have paid tribute to departing Legal Services Commission (LSC) chief executive Carolyn Downs, following the announcement that she is leaving to take up a senior role in local government. Downs took over as chief executive of the LSC in March 2010 on secondment from the ...
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Santander makes Conveyancing Quality Scheme mandatory
Santander has become the first lender to make membership of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme mandatory for firms applying to be on its conveyancing panel. The bank reopened its panel to new members in August, with the introduction of a £199 application fee. A Santander spokesman confirmed that CQS ...
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News
Riots - ‘swift justice’ should be the rule, minister tells police
Outlining plans to increase the efficiency of the criminal justice process today, Nick Herbert said the response to the recent riots showed how the process could be improved. He wants to extend the use of virtual courts and digitise the system, saving time and money.
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News
Plan to publish family court judgments online may be reviewed amid cost-benefit concerns
The Ministry of Justice may scale back plans to publish family court judgments online, after a review of the pilot project questioned whether there was any ‘real benefit’ in reporting every case. The pilot tested the feasibility of issuing written judgments in certain types of family ...
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Chancery Lane urges solicitors to back EU-wide access to a lawyer
The Law Society has called on solicitors to support the right of suspects detained at police stations across Europe to have access to a lawyer. It wants solicitors to lobby their MPs to vote against a government motion that the UK should not opt into an ...
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News
Downs to leave LSC for top local government post
Carolyn Downs is leaving the Legal Services Commission to take up a new role at the Local Government Association in the new year. Downs took over as chief executive of the LSC in March 2010 on secondment from the Ministry of Justice, following the resignation of ...
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Labour targets Lib Dems on legal aid bill
Solicitors have welcomed opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill tabled this week, but warned that debate on access to justice issues could be drowned out if MPs choose to focus on sentencing reform as a result of political priorities. ...
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Legal aid reform could be 'business deterrent'
The government’s legal aid reforms could undermine the reputation of the English legal system and deter people from doing business in the UK, the chairman-elect of the Bar Council has warned. Michael Todd QC (pictured) told the Gazette that the English legal system boasts exceptional judges ...