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24 November 2010 / Adam Makepeace
Issue: 7443 / Categories: Opinion
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Evolution not revolution?

The net result of government plans to wipe £350m off the legal aid budget is an attack on the welfare of some of the most vulnerable members of our society

A reduction in legal aid funding need not spell disaster, says Adam Makepeace

The net result of government plans to wipe £350m off the legal aid budget is an attack on the welfare of some of the most vulnerable members of our society and it will be up to those of us working in the sector to rise to the challenge if we want to preserve our clients’ access to justice. We can argue at the margins about a cut here and there or we can find ways to continue to give our clients the voice they deserve in the legal system.

A significant facet of the impending legal aid revolution will be an acceleration of the consolidation of legal aid businesses. However, the Law Society’s recent successful judicial review of the Legal Service Commission’s (LSC) family law bid tender process (which heralded an overnight

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group

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From mowing lawns to life at the Bar: Stephen Ward reflects on an unconventional career

Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore

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Commercial property partner joins Clarke Willmott in Southampton

Ellisons—Robert Tiffen

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Robert Tiffen joins Ellisons as Partner in growing Norwich office

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
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.

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