Legal Aid

Articles

Standby for reboot

Technology could be just the thing to ease you through the Legal Services Act upheaval, says Damian Blackburn

Legal aid contractor fined £60,000

An employment services company working with the Legal Services Commission has been one of the first two organisations fined by the Information Commissioner under new powers to punish breaches of data protection law.

High Court upholds regulator intervention in sole practitioner firm

A solicitor whose firm was closed down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has had her appeal to the High Court rejected.

Who you gonna call?

The green paper post-mortem paints a bleak picture of what civil legal aid provision will look like if the MoJ gets its way. For firms intent on continuing to provide legal aid services, the proposed ten per cent fee cut will slice such a large chunk off their thin profit margins that their very existence will be in question, possibly leaving only large volume suppliers in that space. Some sectors are already predicting that practices will have to turn away half of their clients, making substantial restructures, redundancies and closures a distinct possibility. So, as firms begin to digest the details of the coalition's consultation on legal aid cuts, the worst hit offer a snapshot of what their services may look like come the revolution.

The third degree

It may be early days for the third-party funding industry, but it has already generated plenty of hype and provoked extensive debate. Jon Robins questions those on the frontline about its potential to improve the system

Hayter calls for 'credible' solicitor comparison websites

Dianne Hayter, chair of the LSB's Consumer Panel, has called for the development of "credible" solicitor comparison websites to help consumers choose between firms.

Government in court setback over regional planning policy

The local government secretary's decision to do away with regional housing targets before any legislation to this effect has been adopted was unlawful, the High Court has ruled in a decision set to unblock planning applications stalled since the coalition has come to power.

Public backs legal aid for child protection but not divorce

The public believes child protection should be the priority for civil legal aid funding but divorce-related work should come last.