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08 June 2017 / Dr Jon Robins
Issue: 7749 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services
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Promises, promises…an encore (Pt 4)

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Jon Robins returns with some surprising news from UKIP & a justice update from Plaid Cymru & the Lib Dems

Here is a question for a legal pub quiz: which political party promised to repeal the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) in the 2017 general election?

NLJ readers who have followed articles on the manifesto commitments of the main political parties over the last month (see links below) might, through a process of elimination, make an informed guess. The startling answer is UKIP. 
In this the last manifesto review, I look at the election promises of the smaller political parties. We sent out a short questionnaire to the parties asking for their views on the burning issues for lawyers as we approached Thursday’s poll including the personal-injury reforms; the desirability of late-night courts; access to justice and legal aid; and their views on the Human Rights Act.

A singular vision

Last week Paul Nuttall launched his party’s singular vision for the future featuring manifesto commitments to

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley strengthens family law team

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Construction lawyer returns to Ward Hadaway in Teesside role

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird Bird hires leading legal transformation expert

NEWS
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.

How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct? 
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