Crisis in criminal justice
Law Society president Richard Atkinson speaks to Times Radio (from 1:28:44 to 1:29:48) about the crisis in criminal justice, including the ageing population and decline of duty solicitors.
Legal heroes
Gazette writes about the five winners of the Law Society’s Legal Heroes awards and their contributions to the legal profession.
Lawyers at risk
Rights Practice reports on the inhumane treatment that human rights lawyer and legal scholar Xu Zhiyong has been subject to by the Chinese state. The Law Society signed a joint statement expressing grave concerns about Mr. Xu’s condition.
IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers covers the ongoing harassment of Algerian human rights lawyer Mourad Zenati. The Law Society signed a joint statement expressing its concern.
International law students
LawCareers.Net provides a guide to international students on how to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. According to the Law Society, “if you have a degree or equivalent qualification from outside the UK”, you’ll be eligible to take the SQE if your qualification is equivalent to a UK degree or an equivalent UK qualification; or an accredited qualification at level 6 (or above) of the European Qualifications Framework.
Trump and the legal profession
Jonathan Goldsmith, chair of the Law Society’s Policy & Regulatory Affairs Committee, writes in the Gazette about the impact that a Trump presidency will have on the legal profession in the UK.
Climate change
Biological Recording promotes an upcoming webinar in which Chris Burnett, Chief Operating Officer at Map Impact, will discuss the impact of climate change on biodiversity. The Law Society’s climate risk and conveyancing practice note is cited.
Also worth a read:
- Legal aid solicitors feel ‘neglected and taken advantage of’ following LASPO cuts – Legal Futures
- Manchester law firm turns to AI to ‘supercharge’ the probate process – Gazette
- Rape victims ‘undermined’ by poor video technology in courts – Times (£)
- New survey shows only one in 10 sexual assault survivors in England and Wales would report crime again - Guardian
- Domestic abusers are ‘re-offending within days’ after early release from prison – inews (£)
- Former Criminal Bar Association chair Jo Sidhu fails to have disciplinary proceedings against him heard in private - Gazette
- Daily Mail wins ECHR case against requirement to pay ‘success fees’ to lawyers representing people it had paid damages to - Guardian
- Post Office will close more than 100 branches to help its financial situation following IT scandal – FT (£)
- Government to order review of rail fare prosecutions - BBC
- Former RAF base to house hundreds more migrants after PM vowed to close it – inews (£)