*/
Plans to introduce a controversial fixed fee scheme for family legal aid cases need “further analysis”, ministers have conceded.
Justice Minister Lord Bach told Parliament in late July that the Legal Services Commission’s (“LSC”) proposals for a new fixed fee scheme for advocacy work in private law and care proceedings would be given further review before the scheme is introduced in April 2010. This is likely to be completed in time for the September bid rounds.
His announcement followed scathing criticism from the House of Commons Justice Committee which described the LSC’s plans as “flawed, weak and inflexible”. The Committee criticised the LSC’s “conclusion first, evidence after” approach to policy-making after it commissioned Ernst & Young to gather data after it had proposed cuts to the system. Lucy Theis QC, Chairman of the Family Law Bar Association, said the announcement “concedes the need for complexity to be recognised in any revised fee structure”. (See also Bar News p ii.)
Justice Minister Lord Bach told Parliament in late July that the Legal Services Commission’s (“LSC”) proposals for a new fixed fee scheme for advocacy work in private law and care proceedings would be given further review before the scheme is introduced in April 2010. This is likely to be completed in time for the September bid rounds.
His announcement followed scathing criticism from the House of Commons Justice Committee which described the LSC’s plans as “flawed, weak and inflexible”. The Committee criticised the LSC’s “conclusion first, evidence after” approach to policy-making after it commissioned Ernst & Young to gather data after it had proposed cuts to the system. Lucy Theis QC, Chairman of the Family Law Bar Association, said the announcement “concedes the need for complexity to be recognised in any revised fee structure”. (See also Bar News p ii.)
Plans to introduce a controversial fixed fee scheme for family legal aid cases need “further analysis”, ministers have conceded.
Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
A career shaped by advocacy beyond her practice, and the realities of living with an invisible disability – Dr Natasha Shotunde, Black Barristers’ Network Co-Founder and its Chair for seven years, reflects on a decade at the Bar
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines
There is no typical day in the life as a Supreme Court judicial assistant, says Josephine Gillingwater, and that’s what makes the role so enjoyably diverse
