Legal aid focus

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In a short series in the run-up to the December election, Jon Robins does some policy filtering & number crunching

The government’s sledgehammer approach to legal aid benefits neither access to justice nor the public purse, says Geoffrey Bindman

Civil law (non-family) barristers are waiting months, if not years, to be paid for work on legal aid high-cost cases, the Bar Council Remuneration Committee has said.

The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, this week pledged to bring forward all the recommendations within the scope of the Welsh Assembly that were made by the Commission on Justice in Wales report, led by former Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, published on 24 October.

Wales should have powers to appoint its own judges and run its own legal aid system, a major report chaired by former Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, has concluded.

Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and Lord Justice Gross have led a cohort of fundraisers along the Thames to raise more than £19,000 for free legal advice services.

The small claims system is too complicated for non-lawyers & needs simplifying, says Peter Thompson QC

The FDA trade union, which represents lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), has handed the prime minister nearly 900 letters from the public calling on him to save the UK’s criminal justice system.

The Law Society is urging solicitors to write to the new Lord Chancellor about access to justice.

Jon Robins salutes SB for shining a light on the dark underbelly of modern legal practice

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Nikki Bowker, head of litigation and dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team

DWF—Chris Air

Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS

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NLJ this week: When post-breach events rewrite damages claims

Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation

NLJ this week: Supreme Court redraws unfair prejudice rules

The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ

NLJ this week: ‘Joe Donor’ ruling exposes dangers of unregulated conception

The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week

NLJ this week: CILEX warns Mazur ruling must spark reform

The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ

NLJ this week: Conditional job offers carry hidden risks for employers

A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts

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Legal aid focus

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

DWF—Chris Air