Men’s Mental Health Month
Law Society president Richard Atkinson writes an opinion piece in the Gazette about Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and the need to increase support for men in the criminal justice system.
Richard Atkinson said: “November is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month in the UK, which aims to reduce the stigma around asking for help and encourage men to talk about their mental health.
“Mental health issues can affect anyone, but research from the Mental Health Foundation shows that men are less likely than women to seek help. In the criminal justice system, men’s mental health is a particular concern with nearly three in five men (59%) in prison purporting to have mental health problems. The primary cases are anxiety, depression, psychosis and personality disorder.
“Despite this high number, men are less likely than women to receive help for their mental health problems while in prison. Research published by the Prison Reform Trust (PRT) revealed that around half (54%) of female inmates obtained support for their mental health in their current prison, compared to only three in 10 (29%) of male inmates.”
AI strategy
President Richard Atkinson writes a Letter to the Editor in the York Press and Yahoo! News about the Law Society’s recently revealed AI strategy.
Richard Atkinson said: “AI is rapidly changing work and life, the way we do business and everyday tasks. As it is driving innovation in the legal sector, new technology must be used in a way that serves the public interest and the legal profession. While the ultimate goal is to promote reliable and affordable high-quality legal services, AI needs human oversight to ensure both consumers and lawyers are protected.
“Our new AI strategy hopes to help the legal profession and the public to navigate this brave new digital world and make justice fair and equal for all.”
TA6 form
Gazette and Negotiator continue coverage of our announcement that conveyancers can use the TA6 form (5th edition) and TA6 form (4th edition, second revision 2020) beyond the January 2025 deadline.
Chief executive officer Ian Jeffrey said: “I would like to thank our members for engaging so positively with this extensive consultation.
“It has become clear that January next year is not a realistic date by which to analyse all the evidence and take the next steps to ensure we have the best outcome possible.
“We have therefore decided to extend the period that both forms can be used until we have completed that work.”
Lawyers at risk
International Bar Association, IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers and Mirage cover the Law Society’s concerns over lawyers at risk in Sudan, as we sign a joint letter with the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) expressing concern over the arbitrary arrest and detention of a Sudanese lawyer.
Conveyancing Technical Protocol
Property Industry Eye, Today’s Conveyancer, Inside Conveyancing, Intermediary and a few other outlets report that the Conveyancing Association (CA) has published the sixth edition of its Conveyancing Technical Protocol, which consolidates guidance from the Law Society, Legal Ombudsman, UK Finance, and relevant case law.
Also worth a read:
- New research reveals over 70% of lawyers think AI is a ‘force for good’ – Legal Cheek
- Poll law firms has found almost complete opposition to the SRA’s idea of preventing them from holding client money – Legal Futures
- Expert witnesses call for the SRA to get involved when they clash with solicitors over matters including pressure to ‘improve’ an opinion - Gazette
- Magic circle is overtaken by 13 UK firms – The Lawyer (£)
- US law firms operating in the UK outshine City law firms for pro bono work - Times (£)
- US Department of Justice to “wind down” federal criminal cases against President-Elect Donald Trump before he returns to the White House - Independent