Criminal justice system
The Criminal Bar Association reports that criminal barristers are leaving the profession in droves due to a lack of resources and decrease in public spending on the justice system under the previous government. They express their support for criminal lawyers who face similar financial pressures.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson is quoted, saying that solicitors were on the “frontline” during the riots yet the “rhetoric about supporting the rule of law and access to justice is not being matched by action”.
Pro bono and LGBTQ+
Helen Randall, a member of the Law Society’s LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network and chair of Stonewall Housing, writes an opinion piece in the Gazette about the impact pro bono legal work has had on LGBTQ+ communities as well as herself personally.
Randall writes: “Although gruelling, the pro bono work and the shared sense of purpose among the lawyers at the Gay & Lesbian Legal Advice (GLAD) helpline supported our mental wellbeing too.
“It gave us all a valuable perspective on how privileged we were and lifelong friendships ensued.”
“... I am now chair of the board of trustees at Stonewall Housing Stonewall Housing which provides free, specialist advice on housing, homelessness and support services tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals across the UK.
“...Stonewall Housing exists to make sure that no one has to navigate these challenges alone, empowering individuals with the resources and support they need to survive and thrive.”
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Key issues
LawCareers.Net outlines some of the key issues facing the UK legal profession including court backlogs, AI, cyber security, interest rates, as well as diversity and inclusion. The Law Society is cited multiple times, referencing our advice to criminal lawyers to reduce legal aid work amid pay disputes in October 2024, and our Financial Benchmarking Survey.
Paul Bennett, chair of the Law Society’s leadership and management section, is quoted saying: “The resilience of law firms shines through this year’s survey. Economically, it’s a tough period, but firms are doing well.”
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Former Law Society president Nick Emmerson is also quoted citing some of the barriers women face in the profession, including “lack of support around maternity leave, return to work, flexible working and shared parental leave”.
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Also worth a read:
- Labour MP Kim Leadbeater proposes assisted dying bill – Telegraph (£), BBC News , Times (£), Guardian, Independent
- Lawyers warn UK’s ECHR membership risks dangerous widening of assisted dying – Telegraph (£)
- Courtroom closures prompt fresh fears about the state of the criminal justice system – Gazette
- The cracks in the UK’s anti-money laundering defences – Solicitors Journal
- Client account interest helps small firms deal with margin pressure – Legal Futures
- SRA chief urges expert witnesses to report unethical conduct by solicitors - Gazette
- Kemi Badenoch tells Post Office inquiry that the government allowed bureaucracy to delay compensation payments to wronged subpostmasters – Independent
- Survey shows only one in 10 sexual assault survivors in England and Wales would report crime again - Guardian
- Who is in Trump’s Cabinet so far? - Independent
- Partners at regional law firms lead the way in terms of billing – Times (£)