Legal Aid

Articles

Has LASPO 'come good' for victims of clinical negligence?

Government figures on funding of clinical negligence cases suggest no win, no fee agreements can replace legal aid

Sell-by date evidence for victims of domestic abuse scrapped

Law Society lobbying means victims will not be left stranded at the court's door

Personal injury mediation: Time for a change?

Although the use of mediation in PI cases is low, failure to comply with a request to mediate a claim can come at a considerable cost, says Andrew Lilley

CBA shown favour by Lord Chancellor over legal aid cuts

'Sadly we did not have the level playing field with his office that our Mr Cross and his friends had,' says LCCSA president

CBA chairman to vote 'No' in upcoming 'no returns' ballot

Tony Cross QC says the 'democratic vote' will shape the future of the barrister profession

Public ignorance of domestic abuse highlighted as Gove promises reform

The government can review the restrictions placed on legal aid for domestic abuse cases, says national charity

Common ground

Reforms and fee cuts have led to tensions between expert witnesses and solicitors, but both professions are united in deploring the impact on access to justice, says Mark Solon

Infographic: Legal aid by the numbers

Ministry of Justice: Legal aid statistics in England and Wales January to March 2015 The 'Legal Aid Statistics in England and Wales January to March 2015' from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show that in the two years following the enactment of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), the number of new matter starts has fallen year-on-year. Alistair MacDonald QC, chairman of the Bar Council, said: 'These figures show access to justice is not improving. Even the few who are still eligible for legal aid are not getting the help they deserve. Clearly more needs to be done to ensure that these people, who are among the most vulnerable in society, are aware that help is available. 'LASPO removed legal aid from hundreds of thousands of people per year in one fell swoop. The year after it was introduced, over 400,000 fewer people accessed legal help to assist with employment, housing, welfare, family or other legal problems compared with the year before. [The] figures show the situation has worsened.'