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Further torment

Rosalyn Akar Grams reviews the impact of LASPO on the provision of quality legal representation for survivors of torture, as part of an exclusive NLJ online series on legal aid post-LASPO

Bar a few notable exceptions, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) essentially limits the scope of legal aid in immigration cases to matters relating to asylum and international protection and challenges to immigration detention.

Family reunion

Family reunion is a significant area of concern for Freedom from Torture’s clients, who are survivors of torture, as it affects their path to recovery and rehabilitation. While family reunion rights arise from the Refugee Convention, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not accept them to be within scope. Recognised refugees are now unable to obtain legal aid for applications to bring family members they have been forced to leave behind, often due to the circumstances of the persecution they have suffered and the need to flee their country of origin quickly. Those family members are often in precarious and unsafe

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Sheffield expansion continues with appointment of commercial property partner

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson strengthens banking and finance practice with latest partner appointment Paul Duggan

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Employment partner joins Ward Hadaway

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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