Articles Archive
Below are all our previously published articles and news items - blog posts will be included here too.
There are also 2 wordpress blog sites which we previously used and for whom content is still available, although they are not currently being updated:
View from the Gravy Train
Thanks 2 Legal Aid
APPG meeting 22 Jan
Post date: 17th of January 2013There will be a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on legal aid on Tuesday 22 January at 5.15pm at the House of Commons. The legal aid minister, Lord McNally has agreed to address the meeting, which will cover a broad range of legal aid and access to justice issues.
Read more...LSC will end the CLS grant
Post date: 16th of January 2013The Legal Services Commission (LSC) consulted in 2012 on the future of CLS grants which have previously been awarded to charities and the NFP sector.
They have decided to end the grants, and therefore no new grants will be given after March 2013. This will negatively impact charities that will also be affected by LASPO further reducing access to justice.
The LSC response to the consultation responses can be read here
Read more...YLAL midlands - can you help?
Post date: 1st of January 2013Some of our members are looking to set up a group in the midlands. We plan on having meetings in Birmingham. Can you help?
We are keen to hear from anyone in the local area who would like to be involved, whether you are studying or already in practice.
To find out more please get in touch:
Read more...
LASPO Regs - Success in HoL
Post date: 5th of December 2012On 3 December 2012, the House of Lords debated two sets of regulations issued under the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations set out the criteria to be used to determine whether legal aid should be granted. The Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order amends LASPO to bring certain welfare benefits cases back into scope.
Read more...Parliament debates LASPO Regs
Post date: 24th of November 2012The Government has laid new regulations under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012, which will be debated in the House of Commons on 29 November and in the House of Lords on 3 December 2012. The Regulations introduce the new merits criteria (which will replace the current funding code) and also amend Schedule 1 of LASPO to deal with the provision of legal aid for welfare benefits work.
We are very concerned in particular about two key issues.
Judicial review
Read more...YLAL Christmas Party
Post date: 17th of November 2012The joint Haldane Society and Young Legal Aid Lawyers Winter Party will take place on 30 November 2012 at Garden Court Chambers, 57-60 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3 LJ.
Doors open at 7pm. Tickets can be purchase on the door at a cost of £12 (£8 for students).
All members are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there!
http://www.haldane.org/news/haldane-and-young-legal-aid-lawyers-winter-party-2012.html
Read more...Christmas Carols at HJA
Post date: 17th of November 2012Hodge Jones and Allen will be hosting an evening of 'Carols in the Bar', from 6pm on Tuesday 11 December, at their offices on 180 North Gower Street, London NW1 2NB (by Euston).
The evening will include an African Gospel Choir, mulled wine and an interview with guest Sir Mark Hedley, High Court Judge (Family Division).
www.hja.net/pdf/carols%20in%20the%20bar_lowres.pdf
Read more...
APPG meeting 7 Nov
Post date: 4th of November 2012There will be a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid on Wednesday 7 November at 4pm. The meeting will discuss the new regulations under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012.
The LASPO Act 2012 made radical changes to the provision of civil legal aid. Around 600,000 people per year will no longer have access to legal aid once the Act comes into force on 1 April 2013.
Read more...News from LAPG conference
Post date: 28th of October 2012YLAL recently contributed to the annual conference of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group. Committee member, Simao Paxi-Cato reports back on what happened:
Lord McNally (the new Minister for Legal Aid) opened up this year’s conference by telling the audience that he wanted to maintain an open dialogue between the Government and legal aid practitioners. He explained that in the coming months the LSC would be adopting more online processes in communicating with practitioners.
Read more...Website problems
Post date: 5th of October 2012We are currently experiencing some problems with our website. We hope to have these resolved as soon as possible and apologise in the meantime for any inconvenience.
Important details about our next London meeting on 10.10.12 and about the LAPG conference on 13.10.12 are set out in news.