header-logo header-logo

Jam tomorrow or just promises?

04 October 2018 / Steve Hynes
Issue: 7811 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus
printer mail-detail

Steve Hynes welcomes the Labour party’s commitment to widening access to justice & hopes the government will track back from LASPO

At a fringe meeting on access to justice at the Labour party conference in Liverpool last week Labour’s shadow Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Richard Burgon, was making bold statements about restoring civil legal aid and increasing the number of Law Centres. He told the meeting held on 24 September: ‘After ten years of austerity access to justice is more important than ever.’ Perhaps not surprisingly his comments went down well with a large audience of lawyers and activists.

Lord Willy Bach also spoke at the event. He told the meeting that just before he left office as legal aid minister in April 2010 the number of cases supported by legal aid peaked before beginning to fall away under the coalition government. They fell off a cliff he said with the introduction of LASPO (The Legal Aid and Sentencing of Offenders Act 2012). According to Bach: ‘Of all the objectional legislation passed under

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll