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16 November 2012 / Ruth Daniel
Issue: 7538 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus , Legal services , Profession
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The bigger picture

Ruth Daniel highlights the importance of pro bono work following recent legal reform

The principle of access to justice is of central importance to a just society in which those deserving of a legal remedy can access a court in which that remedy can be delivered. Unfortunately, a lack of resources means that such access is not always available to those who need representation.

Government cuts in funding have amplified this lack of resources and, although pro bono cannot be a substitute for legal aid, those who work in the pro bono sector, or who campaign to broaden access to justice, are fulfiling an important role in helping those who cannot afford legal representation.

Cross-profession initiative

Established in 2008, the Access to Justice Foundation is a cross-profession initiative that provides funding and support to charities that give free legal help to those in need. Working closely with the pro bono and advice sector, the foundation raises funds through a variety of schemes and distributes those funds to organisations and projects that

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NEWS
The Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, and Solicitor General, Andy Slaughter KC MP, marked the 25th anniversary of Pro Bono Week by joining lawyers, charities, students and parliamentarians at events celebrating voluntary legal work
A polished legal defence may owe more to artificial intelligence than legal merit—and creditors risk paying the price in delay and expense
Witness evidence can be compromised by AI before a solicitor sees the draft, leaving safeguards focused on authorship incomplete
Should a conviction stand when a later ruling reveals that the law underpinning it was wrong? The answer exposes a clash between finality and justice
Possession claims are entering a new digital era, with procedural traps awaiting practitioners who assume familiar rules still govern every step
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