Housing possession statistics
My London, Dudley News, St Helens Star, Stourbridge News, Halesowen News, EC1 Echo, Yahoo UK and MSN cover the Law Society’s calls for rental reform, as new figures show rising numbers of landlord and mortgage possession orders, leaving countless at risk of homelessness.
President Richard Atkinson said: “The cost-of-living crisis has meant that renters are increasingly at risk of losing their homes. When faced with repossession, renters should be entitled to legal representation and access to justice.
“However, an underfunded justice system has denied renters a fair chance in court due to lack of legal aid.
“It is critical that the government invests in the legal aid system, so that renters have the help they need to avoid losing their homes.
"Labour must recognise that only a well-funded justice system can protect renters' rights.”
Disability History Month
Solicitors Journal and LawCareers.Net cover our new guidance on disability terminology to mark Disability History Month.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “People and organisations can be so fearful of saying the wrong thing that they say nothing and do not address the barriers to improve disability inclusion.
“This is why we’ve created our guide to disability terminology and language to ensure the profession is using the right words, phrases and acronyms when talking about disability.
“The guidance advises people to remember that individuals will have their own preferences as to how they would describe themselves, and how they would wish to be described. Identity is extremely personal.
“We urge the profession to listen, educate themselves, learn and politely ask about preferences if they’re in doubt.”
Gazette writes a feature on Reena Parmer, chair of the Law Society’s Disabled Solicitors Network, in order to mark Disability History Month.
Lawyers at risk
Solicitors Journal and IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers report that lawyers in Iran are systemically persecuted by the state, as we express our concerns regarding the dismantling of the justice system and stand in solidarity with targeted Iranian lawyers.
President Richard Atkinson said: “We are deeply concerned that human rights and criminal defence lawyers in Iran are targeted and persecuted for defending their clients. Iranian lawyers face harassment, illegitimate prosecutions, unfair trials, and arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
“This is not justice, and the legal system is not working. The targeting of lawyers by the state interferes with the independence of the legal profession and integrity of the rule of law in Iran. The right to a fair trial is eroded, and access to justice is undermined.
“We hope the UN recognises the climate of terror that lawyers face in Iran and uses this evidence to call for an end to the harassment of lawyers. Iran must comply with human rights norms and end its perpetual campaign of intimidation against lawyers.”
Social housing
GB News reports on social housing cases and the gap in protections for deceased tenants’ families.
Ian Bond, member of the Law Society’s Wills and Equity committee said: “Most local authorities allow those entitled to claim probate access without the official grant to deal with the clearance and to locate important papers.”
Conveyancing Quality Scheme
Solicitors Journal reports on law firm Ellisons’ expanded residential conveyancing team, which is a member of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
Also worth a read:
- Courts in crisis: ‘The chances of acquittal are higher for the rich’ – Times (£)
- Several charges against former criminal bar chair Jo Sidhu have been dropped – Legal Cheek
- Government sets timetable for reforming the leasehold system - Gazette
- Whiplash tariff set to rise 15% as government publishes review – Legal Futures
- Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood expresses concerns over assisted dying bill - Guardian
- Keir Starmer backs ICC’s arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu – City A.M.
- UK in ‘new AI arms race’ with Russia – inews (£)
- Ministers believe prisoners can fill labour shortages by targeting them with more jobs support and training while behind bars – Times (£)