Opinion – Page 54
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Opinion
Lib Dems fighting legal aid cuts
I was very disappointed to read about Ian Craine’s experience of trying to discuss proposed changes to legal aid with Liberal Democrat MPs. May I assure him that the Liberal Democrat Lawyers Association is lobbying hard over these proposals to try and persuade our MPs that they are misguided. So ...
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Opinion
Let us record proceedings
Having just spent another couple of days frantically scribbling notes of the evidence being given and the judgment, I am again at a loss to understand why the lawyers involved in proceedings are not allowed to record them electronically. It is quite ridiculous that we should have to make a ...
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Opinion
Don’t give up on mediation
In his letter of 17 June, Michael Haran related a bad experience with what may have been a small claims telephone mediation provided by the county court. I have great sympathy with him. But he should not compare this cheap and cheerful type of mediation, which incidentally does have a ...
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Opinion
Farming out
I recently received a letter from the Law Society inviting me to have a meeting to explore methods of ‘farming’ existing business. Is this an indication of the depth to which the profession has sunk? Harold Immanuel, London W6
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Opinion
Tilting the scales of justice in favour of the relatively disadvantaged
We have seen huge cuts in public funding for many areas of law, particularly family; fees introduced for employment tribunal cases; and we await the impact of substantial changes and cuts to criminal legal aid. No one appears to have carried out a proper exercise and costing regarding the long-term ...
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Opinion
Trade deal downside
The article entitled Trading Places concerning the US-EU transatlantic free trade agreement, omitted to mention the huge democratic implications of this agreement. Ordinary people will experience the ‘reduction in trade barriers’ and ‘regulatory harmonisation’ as a reduction of protections in a range of areas, including in the environmental and labour ...