*/
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Legal and Constitutional Affairs observed the diamond anniversary of legal aid by posing the question, “Is there a future for the publicly funded practitioner?”
The only speaker to address the question head on was Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar, who reported that that part of the Bar was “totally demoralised”; bright and diverse BVC students are being advised not to aim for publicly funded work (with downstream consequences for the future judiciary); and the legal market overall was being distorted by the use of in-house advocates on spurious grounds of money-saving, by the use of referral fees between solicitors, and by the Legal Services Commission (“LSC”) breaching their duty to promote equality and conducting “Dutch auction” negotiations with solicitors alone.
The legal aid minister, Lord Bach, praised the successes of the scheme (which no one disputed) but repeated the need for change. There will always be a cap on the budget and “all change is difficult” but he asserted his pride in introducing “a market based approach” for police station and magistrates’ court work and also means testing in the Crown Court (letting the convicted contribute towards their defence but not reimbursing at higher than legal aid rates those who are acquitted but who paid their lawyers privately). “Embracing change and making some pretty hard choices” he summed up. He praised the commitment of publicly funded practitioners but did not prognosticate on their future.
The only speaker to address the question head on was Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar, who reported that that part of the Bar was “totally demoralised”; bright and diverse BVC students are being advised not to aim for publicly funded work (with downstream consequences for the future judiciary); and the legal market overall was being distorted by the use of in-house advocates on spurious grounds of money-saving, by the use of referral fees between solicitors, and by the Legal Services Commission (“LSC”) breaching their duty to promote equality and conducting “Dutch auction” negotiations with solicitors alone.
The legal aid minister, Lord Bach, praised the successes of the scheme (which no one disputed) but repeated the need for change. There will always be a cap on the budget and “all change is difficult” but he asserted his pride in introducing “a market based approach” for police station and magistrates’ court work and also means testing in the Crown Court (letting the convicted contribute towards their defence but not reimbursing at higher than legal aid rates those who are acquitted but who paid their lawyers privately). “Embracing change and making some pretty hard choices” he summed up. He praised the commitment of publicly funded practitioners but did not prognosticate on their future.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Legal and Constitutional Affairs observed the diamond anniversary of legal aid by posing the question, “Is there a future for the publicly funded practitioner?”
On both fronts – representing the Bar’s interests and protecting the rule of law
Kate West discusses how best to interpret a drug test report, and the common misconceptions about what can be learnt from a drug test
Ashley Hodgkinson looks at drug testing methods and some of the most common ways people try to cheat a drug test
Clerksroom Chambers has recruited Matthew Wildish from 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) to a newly created position of Director of Clerking. Matthew joined the team at Clerksroom on 1 June
... have you seen through yours? asks Julian Morgan
Opportunity for female sopranos/contraltos in secondary education, or who have recently finished secondary education but have not yet begun tertiary education. Eligibility includes children of members of the Bar
Clerksroom Chambers has recruited Matthew Wildish from 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) to a newly created position of Director of Clerking. Matthew joined the team at Clerksroom on 1 June
In this tale of hope, success really has been the best revenge! A difficult journey teaches Rehana Azib QC invaluable lessons along the way
The Chief Inspector of the CPS knows first-hand the difficulties prosecutors face but is no pushover. He talks to Anthony Inglese CB about Operation Soteria, putting victims and cooperation at the heart of criminal justice reform, and his unique and life-changing career prosecuting the crime of all crimes, genocide
Having represented many Davids against many Goliaths over a 30+year career at the publicly funded Bar, renowned silk Professor Leslie Thomas QC critically assesses what the Human Rights Act currently under challenge has done for coronial law and equality of arms
The future of robotics in surgery is likely to hinge on what it enables does the legal system yet have the tools to protect patients?Conor Dufficy and Finn Stevenson investigate