Lawyers at risk from far-right groups
Times (£), Politico, Sky News, BBC, Guardian, Financial Times (£), MSN, Guardian (+print frontpage), Independent, Sun, Yahoo, Legal Cheek, Irish Legal News, Today’s Family Lawyer, Today’s Wills and Probate and over 240 other media outlets report on our response to the far-right plotting attacks on immigration lawyers after a list of names and solicitors firms have been marked as targets by rioters.
Our president Nick Emmerson said: “We have serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of our members following names and addresses of a number of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies being shared on a list of targets for further protest and violence this week.
"I have written to the prime minister, lord chancellor and home secretary today asking that the threats against the legal profession are treated with the utmost seriousness.
"A direct assault on our legal profession is a direct assault on our democratic values and we are supporting our members who are being targeted.
"It is paramount that justice is done for all those who have been involved in, or are victims of, the riots. We commend the UK government for its swift response and want to see that the necessary support and resources are provided for both prosecution and defence lawyers, courts staff and judiciary in dealing with this emergency.”
Nick Emmerson speaks to Channel 4 (5:47-9:51) and Times Radio (2:07:09-2:09.15) about several immigration firms being targeted by the ongoing riots and the written address to both the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor.
A lawyer spoke to BBC World at One (15:59-16:01) and mentioned that the Law Society has been in contact with her firm regarding safety and precautions during the violent riots taking place.
BBC Radio 5 (00:59-01:05) and seven other broadcast outlets mention out response to the outbreak of violence and threats towards immigration lawyers.
Project Rise
Today’s Family Lawyer reports on a law firm signing up to Project Rise, a cross-profession scheme initiated by the Law Society of England and Wales’ Disabled Solicitors Network, meaning more part-time solicitor training will be available in the legal sector.
Our president Nick Emmerson said: “I am delighted to welcome Hill Dickinson to Project Rise.
“They have committed to offering all successful candidates the opportunity to train on a part-time basis to provide more accessible routes to qualification for people from diverse backgrounds.
“Six firms are now part of the scheme and I encourage our members to join the initiative as a way of providing different ways of training to aspiring solicitors.*
“Aspiring solicitors who cannot train full-time** due to disability, caring responsibilities or other reasons now have more opportunities to join our valuable profession.
“Project Rise has meant more part-time training options being available for traditional training contracts, solicitor apprenticeships and the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.”
Also worth a read:
- Australian legal aid model provides lessons for UK access to justice – Today’s Family Lawyer
- Unions welcome scrapping of Tories’ ‘spiteful’ minimum service law – Guardian
- Rachel Reeves to announce plans to create ‘Canadian-style’ pension model – Financial Times (£)
- Urgent action ordered for HMP Wandsworth – Solicitors Journal
- 'Nowhere to hide' for influencers behind disorder - top prosecutor – BBC
- GP industrial action ‘could push one million extra patients to A&E’ – Telegraph (£)
- More police patrols and CCTV surveillance deployed in London to stop riots by far-right thugs - Standard