All News focus articles
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NewsIn focus: Information war rages on litigation funding
As the government digests the Civil Justice Council’s final report, efforts to sway opinion on the dangers – or virtues – of the funding industry are in full swing.
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NewsIn depth: Open justice - Commercial Court documents go public
In a boost for open justice, Commercial Court documents will have to be made public from October. Anxious litigators are assured that ‘genuinely confidential’ material will be redacted.
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NewsIn depth: Legal aid lawyers seize chance to vent at minister
Sarah Sackman lent a sympathetic ear to legal aid lawyers attending a parliamentary meeting last week. But the minister still couldn’t say when the Legal Aid Agency portal will be fixed.
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NewsIn depth: Rogue housing disrepair lawyers are in the government's sights - but what about councils?
The SRA is under pressure from government to address alleged misconduct in bulk litigation firms. The profession has a case to answer, but councils must not be given a free pass.
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NewsIn depth: Starting gun fired on digital justice revolution
The advent of the OPRC marks the start of a ‘groundbreaking and genuinely transformational’ migration to digital justice, master of the rolls Sir Geoffrey Vos said this week. But there is a distance to travel yet.
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NewsIn depth: Decoding muddy ministerial messages on special educational needs
After mixed messaging on its plans for the SEND Tribunal, the government is refusing to guarantee what needs provision will remain in place. And why no mention of local authorities?
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NewsIn depth: Criminal justice crisis - lawyers react to Leveson's radical blueprint
'Essential measures’ needed to prevent ‘total collapse’ - Crown court backlogs, jury trials and ‘perverse fee incentives’ all came under Sir Brian's critical gaze.
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NewsIn depth: Horror stories from the Post Office Horizon IT report
The first report of the Post Office inquiry highlights the personal experiences of those affected by the Horizon scandal, while condemning the lack of legal advice for compensation claims.
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NewsLALYs 25: Pillars of a decent society
The Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards highlighted the full gamut of critical work, from representing prisoners to family law and immigration. Such advice ensures that ‘people’s rights have real, practical meaning’.
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NewsIn depth: Planning for a floating solar revolution
The government’s Solar Roadmap envisages trebling solar electricity generation capacity in the next five years. It also proposes fundamental changes to planning law, underpinned by £46m of investment.
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NewsIn depth: What Standish v Standish means for modern matrimonial disputes
The Supreme Court has ruled in Standish that the sharing principle does not apply to non-matrimonial property, but family lawyers are divided on how big an impact the judgment will have.
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NewsIn depth: Family data desert is impeding improvement to court services
MPs hear that the government’s approach to improving family court services for children is being impeded by information gaps and the lack of a joined-up plan to enhance data collection and analysis.
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NewsIn depth: Anti-money laundering reform - what changes do solicitors want?
As swingeing fines for non-compliance multiply, the government’s industrial strategy pledges ‘clearer and more proportionate’ anti-money laundering regulations for lawyers. So what needs to change?
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NewsNot 'grooming' but rape: Casey review calls for law change
Baroness Casey’s review of so-called grooming gangs highlighted the ‘sex offenders go-to defence’, allowing them to escape a proportionate sentence. And ‘victim-blaming misogyny’ means cases go uninvestigated
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NewsIn depth: Foreign lawyers in immigration limbo
The government’s immigration reforms envisage doubling the qualifying period for settlement in the UK, thereby throwing the future of thousands of registered foreign lawyers into disarray.
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NewsIn depth: Bindmans claims 'industry first' with social justice fund
Bindmans will divert 10% of its business client fees to a social justice fund to support access to justice for vulnerable people. So how will it work – and could other firms follow suit?
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NewsIn depth: Reeves spares justice – but no quick fix
The chancellor’s Spending Review pledged more cash for the criminal courts, the CPS and the probation service. Justice has been a ‘cinderella’ department for years, so is this finally changing?
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NewsIn depth: Civil Justice Council review is a (qualified) victory for litigation funders
The number one recommendation of the CJC’s final report on litigation funding is to reverse PACCAR. But there is much else that will also please the industry.
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NewsIn depth: Poor communication driving complaints, private client conference hears
Some solicitors are providing written information too late, or exceeding cost estimates without warning clients.
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NewsIn depth: Mastercard - how will the £200m be distributed?
The £200m settlement in the high-profile Mastercard claim could potentially benefit 44 million people. Yet payouts could go as low as £2.50, raising difficult questions about the outlook for class actions.