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Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
MPs have warned of an ‘unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice’ due to a lack of legal aid and increasing levels of self-representation
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE

Roger Smith considers the possible impact of ‘Manchesterism’ on government policies on access to justice

Ministers have launched a consultation on a potential 10% rise in Crown Court advocacy defence fees
The House of Commons has passed the Hillsborough Law, in a historic achievement for campaigners, survivors and families of those who died in the 1989 stadium collapse
Hillsborough Law Now, a coalition of lawyers and campaigners who helped bring about the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, has scooped the top award at this year's Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards (LALYs)
Public family law cases are taking two weeks less to complete than they did last year, according to the family court statistics quarterly: January to March 2026, published last week
Ministers have proposed bringing inquest work under a single fee scheme for legal help and advocacy legal aid work
A government commitment to increase legal aid fees for criminal barristers has still not been implemented five months after being announced in December 2025
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Results

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley strengthens family law team

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Construction lawyer returns to Ward Hadaway in Teesside role

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird Bird hires leading legal transformation expert

NEWS
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct? 
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