Legal aid focus

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

Criminal law solicitors could follow the Bar’s example and down tools following justice secretary Dominic Raab’s final response to the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Legal Aid Agency and Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, have announced that solicitors will see a further £21m investment in fees and long-term reforms and an extra £138m will be spent annually on legal aid ‘to ensure long-term sustainability’.

The justice budget suffered a ‘real terms cut’ in the Autumn Statement this week, lawyers have warned, despite Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s pledge to protect public services.

Budget cuts, LASPO’s ten-year legacy and recent political decisions have devastated access to justice, according to a major piece of research by the Bar Council.

The Justice Committee will be examining the future of legal aid for criminal defence solicitors on Tuesday 14 November, when it takes evidence from representatives of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association and the Law Society.

The Law Society has warned that the government’s stance on criminal legal aid is driving solicitors to consider unionising to take direct action, following the barrister strike action earlier this year.

The cost-of-living crisis provided a focus for this year’s Pro Bono Week, with lawyers attending a wide range of events.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that around 20,000 people facing debt difficulties will be invited to receive free early-stage legal advice through a new pilot launched by the government on 31 October 2022.

There is no better way to raise money than through the medium of cake—so why not hit the kitchen this Pro Bono Week to raise some dough for access to justice?

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Anthony Collins—William Hallett & Lorna Scully

Anthony Collins hires two talented legal directors

Switalskis—five appointments

Firm expands national abuse compensation team

Mathys & Squire—nine promotions

IP firm announces new partners and senior promotions across UK offices

NEWS

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NLJ this week: AI wake-up call for law firms

A High Court ruling has sent a jolt through the legal profession after a newly qualified solicitor used an internal AI tool to produce court correspondence containing a fabricated legal citation

NLJ this week: Court of Appeal redraws the consent boundary

A significant data privacy ruling has clarified what counts as valid consent under UK data protection law

NLJ this week: Hidden shareholdings could unlock probate windfalls

Executors may be overlooking billions of pounds in estate assets hidden in forgotten investments and misplaced share certificates

NLJ this week: Botox boom leaves legal protections lagging behind

Britain’s booming non-surgical cosmetics market is operating in what some critics describe as a regulatory ‘Wild West’

NLJ this week: Court battles grow over family visits in care settings

Family contact disputes are becoming an increasingly prominent feature of Court of Protection litigation

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Legal aid focus

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Anthony Collins—William Hallett & Lorna Scully

Switalskis—five appointments

Mathys & Squire—nine promotions