Legal aid crisis
Telegraph (£), Yahoo! UK and Ireland, MSN UK and two other media outlets report that the Law Society is to advise its members to consider scaling back their legal aid work until ministers provide a meaningful response to their demands.
Vice President Richard Atkinson said: “Solicitors were on the front line of the response to the riots over the summer as the Prime Minister himself recognised.
“However, his party’s rhetoric about supporting the rule of law and access to justice is not being matched by action to safeguard the future of the criminal defence profession.
“We have been banging on their door asking the new Government how they will respond to our judicial review and when criminal legal aid will get the increases it needs.
“But all we have had in return is warm words, lack of transparency and empty assurances.
“Delay, delay, delay with no concrete timeline for action and little hope of investment in criminal legal aid in the Autumn Budget.
“That is not good enough for victims left waiting years for justice. It is not good enough for defendants left to represent themselves and it is not good enough for duty solicitors, left to watch their firms collapse under them.”
Criminal court statistics
Independent, Yahoo! UK and Ireland, MSN UK and four other media outlets report on the government failing to publish any data on the crisis in the criminal courts this year due to inaccuracies in its statistics.
President Nick Emmerson said: “It is extremely concerning that the quarterly criminal court statistics have not been published for the first six months of the year.
“You cannot solve a problem if you cannot measure it. Without robust, rigorous and comprehensive data collection the government cannot hope to understand what is going on in our courts or be able to address the huge backlogs.
“Victims and defendants spend years in limbo waiting for justice as the backlogs continue to grow. The misery faced by all those caught up in these unacceptable delays will not go away unless the government fixes this data challenge and begins to rebuild the foundations of this vital public service.”
The Independent view also covers this article in their editorial letter.
Criminal courts backlog
Telegraph (£), Yahoo! UK and Ireland, MSN UK and four other media outlets report on the concerns around the courts backlog crisis.
President Nick Emmerson said: “It is alarming to see the criminal court backlogs continue to spiral.
“It is unacceptable that victims, witnesses and defendants are having to wait so long, with their lives in limbo, to access justice.
“The criminal justice system is in crisis with huge backlogs of cases, crumbling courts and overcrowded prisons.
“There simply are not enough judges and lawyers to work on all the cases and we have heard concerning reports that court buildings are not being used to their full capacity.”\
Legal aid report
African Voice Online reports on our report commissioned by Frontier Economics focusing on how the UK government can rebuild the foundations of the state and deliver on its missions by investing in the civil justice system.
President Nick Emmerson said: “Previous governments have slowly pushed the civil justice system to the brink of collapse by starving it of investment for decades.
“Legal aid is one way for citizens to have our voices heard and our lack of access to it has implications on health, employment and our children’s education.
“Like any other public service, legal aid needs to be maintained with our research showing the economic benefits if the new government were to invest in the justice system.
“The Prime Minister and his government have a chance to right the wrongs of the previous administration by properly funding civil legal aid.
“This will ensure that all public services can cope if a family is fighting eviction, tackling housing disrepair or addressing other life-changing issues.”
Indian delegation
The Statesman, Ani News, India Education Diary and over 200 media outlets report on an Indian delegation led by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, as he concludes his UK visit.
The delegation addressed the facilitation of UK qualified legal professional law firms operating in India referencing a prior meeting on October 1st, 2024, between the Chairman of the Bar Council of India and the President of the Law Society.
Black History Month
Gazette and African Voice Online report that we have issued guidance to support Black and minority ethnic students entering the profession, as we mark Black History Month.
President Nick Emmerson said: “The journey to a legal career can be a daunting experience for all aspiring solicitors. For a minority ethnic student, the extremely competitive environment may feel even more overwhelming, especially with the added challenges of having to overcome barriers often based on assumptions and lack of knowledge.”
Free Wills Month
Today’s Wills and Probate reports on Free Will Month, which commenced on the 1st October with many solicitors offer free will-writing services.
President Nick Emmerson said: “Free Wills Month offers a valuable opportunity, for those eligible, to put their affairs in order at no cost.
“A legally valid will, written with an expert solicitor, ensures that your estate is distributed according to your wishes, especially if you have several beneficiaries or complex financial circumstances.
“Solicitors provide regulated and insured advice, helping to prevent a whole raft of potential problems affecting loved ones down the line.
“As we mark the beginning of Free Wills Month, we applaud solicitors who offer pro bono services. Their dedication brings peace of mind and security to countless people, ensuring that important decisions are made with care and expertise.”
Conservative party conference
Gazette, Business Mayor and Business Fast provide an in-depth analysis of the Conservative party conference. Our reception and roundtable discussion at the conference are mentioned.
Director of Public Affairs, David McNeill also highlighted the crucial role criminal defence solicitors played during the summer to help courts deal with rioters swiftly.
Solicitor apprenticeships
FE WEEK reports on the solicitor Master’s-equivalent level 7 apprenticeships.
Past president Lubna Shuja said: “Our crumbling courts are overwhelmed, prisons overcrowded, and judges and lawyers overstretched. With fewer duty solicitors and more cases coming into the system, we have reached breaking point.”
Previously, The Law Society warned of a 26 per cent fall in the number of duty solicitors available to advise people who have been arrested, where they aren’t able to pay for their own defence lawyer.
Reimagining justice in Wales
Wrexham.com and County Times covers the challenges facing access to justice in Wales, as the Law Society publishes its ‘Reimagining justice in Wales’ paper, which highlights serious concerns around legal aid deserts, solicitor recruitment and crumbling court infrastructure in Wales.
TA6 form updates
Today’s Conveyancer publishes an interview with the PLAG president, where he criticises the Law Society for ‘letting down’ members over the TA6 form updates.
Legal aid fraud
Roll on Friday reports that human rights lawyer Phil Shiner has pled guilty to legal aid fraud.
Criminal defence solicitor
Gazette and Business Fast reports that criminal defence solicitor, Chloe Jay has been appointed the first female senior partner by a high street law firm in its 200-year history.
Also worth a read:
- New call for free legal advice for state scandal victims - Gazette
- Continuing competence still in the SRA’s headlights – Legal Futures
- Conveyancers respond to new powers to delay suspected fraudulent payments – Today’s Conveyancer
- Four retired police officers under investigation for the wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson – The Justice Gap
- Lord Reed: How we will decide what constitutes a woman – Times (£)
- Sue Gray quits as Number 10 chief of staff as Keir Starmer overhauls team – Financial Times (£)
- Labour government faces legal challenge over addition of VAT to private school fees – Sky News
- Assisted dying supporters court Tories to bolster cross-party appeal – Guardian
- Ministers want youngsters and working people to become magistrates in bid to cut justice backlogs - Daily Mail
- ‘No human could do this’: how facial recognition is transforming policing – Times (£)