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The number of crown court cases waiting for trial for two years or more has reached a record high, official figures show.

The good news is the government has announced a civil legal aid review. The bad news is it won’t report until 2024.

Far from a bold initiative, the announcement of a distant & unfunded review of civil legal aid is an abdication of government responsibility, says Roger Smith

Members of the public across the three main parties support legal aid, research has shown.

Lawyers have welcomed the ‘long overdue’ review into civil legal aid, but expressed concern about the timescale and called for immediate action to prevent collapse.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to recruit up to 1,100 judges and tribunal members and 4,000 more magistrates in 2022-23, according to its annual report and accounts for 2021-22.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that the government will be undertaking a review looking into ways to better the civil legal aid market through improving the sustainability of the legal aid system for people facing civil and family legal issues.

One solicitor had a piece of air conditioning fall on their head at a magistrate’s court in Manchester, while another solicitor reports from a London Crown Court that ‘everything is falling apart… ceilings leak, toilets leak… mould everywhere’.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recently launched (under the previous Lord Chancellor) a ‘one-stop shop’ online information tool offering key statistics on prisons, probation and the courts.

The Ministry of Justice’s ‘one-stop shop’ for data is a promising start, but nowhere near a finished result, says Roger Smith

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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National Pro Bono Centre—Esther McConnell & Sarah Oliver Scemla

Charity strengthens leadership as national Pro Bono Week takes place

Michelman Robinson—Akshay Sewlikar

Dual-qualified partner joins London disputes practice

McDermott Will & Schulte—Karen Butler

Transactions practice welcomes partner in London office

NEWS

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Getty v Stability AI: Potential landmark case fizzles out

Intellectual property lawyers have expressed disappointment a ground-breaking claim on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) ended with no precedent being set

Double review on whiplash and fixed costs

Two separate post-implementation reviews are being held into the extension of fixed recoverable costs for personal injury claims and the whiplash regime

CILEx Regulation prepares for post-Mazur rush

Legal executives can apply for standalone litigation practice rights, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has confirmed, in a move likely to offset some of the confusion caused by Mazur

Sir Andrew McFarlane reports on judge shortages

Delays in the family court in London and the south east are partly due to a 20% shortage of judges, Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the Family Division, has told MPs

LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026—enter now!

Entries are now open for the 2026 LexisNexis Legal Awards, celebrating achievement and innovation in the law across 24 categories

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Legal aid focus

MOVERS & SHAKERS

National Pro Bono Centre—Esther McConnell & Sarah Oliver Scemla

Michelman Robinson—Akshay Sewlikar

McDermott Will & Schulte—Karen Butler