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Record ULS referrals
A record number of offenders were referred to the Attorney General’s Office last year, according to statistics released on unduly lenient sentences (ULS) referred to the Court of Appeal. In 2012, 435 sentences were referred as possibly unduly lenient, compared to 377 in 2011 and 342 in 2010. Of the 435 referrals, 344 were eligible for consideration. Eighty eight offenders were referred to the Court of Appeal and 82 cases heard in court. Permission was granted in 73 cases and 62 offenders saw their sentence increase.
Trust me, I’m a lawyer?
The public is less trusting of lawyers, less confident that their consumer rights will be protected and less confident to complain than they were a year ago – according to research by the Legal Services Consumer Panel. Its latest tracker survey, carried out by YouGov, showed 42% of the general public would generally trust lawyers to tell the truth; compared to 43% in 2012 and 47% in 2011. Public confidence has fallen at a similar rate across other professions, such as doctors and accountants, but contrasts with a slight increase in trust for estate agents, builders and car mechanics over the last three years. Although the survey found that women were more likely to trust lawyers than men, trust among women had fallen from 47% to 43% during the past 12 months; whereas trust among men was static.
Trust me, I’m a lawyer?
The public is less trusting of lawyers, less confident that their consumer rights will be protected and less confident to complain than they were a year ago – according to research by the Legal Services Consumer Panel. Its latest tracker survey, carried out by YouGov, showed 42% of the general public would generally trust lawyers to tell the truth; compared to 43% in 2012 and 47% in 2011. Public confidence has fallen at a similar rate across other professions, such as doctors and accountants, but contrasts with a slight increase in trust for estate agents, builders and car mechanics over the last three years. Although the survey found that women were more likely to trust lawyers than men, trust among women had fallen from 47% to 43% during the past 12 months; whereas trust among men was static.
Record ULS referrals
A record number of offenders were referred to the Attorney General’s Office last year, according to statistics released on unduly lenient sentences (ULS) referred to the Court of Appeal. In 2012, 435 sentences were referred as possibly unduly lenient, compared to 377 in 2011 and 342 in 2010. Of the 435 referrals, 344 were eligible for consideration. Eighty eight offenders were referred to the Court of Appeal and 82 cases heard in court. Permission was granted in 73 cases and 62 offenders saw their sentence increase.
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
