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
YLAL Meeting Minutes 13.07.2016
Post date: 6th of August 2016YLAL Monthly Meeting – July 2016
Attendees: Rachel, Ollie, John, Imogen, Francis, Ian, Gift, Nathan, Phil, Nina, Callum, Catriona, Karolina, Richard, Martin, Andrea, Daniel, Kate, Louise, Rachel, Maia, Matt, Mark, Anastasia, Emily, Eva, Sophie and others.
1.Welcome and introduction
Read more...Open letter to Theresa May
Post date: 20th of July 2016Young Legal Aid Lawyers, Legal Aid Practitioners Group and Legal Action Group have sent an open letter to the new Prime Minister, Theresa May, welcoming her vision of "a country that works not for a privileged few but for every one of us" and calling on the government to review the impact of legal aid cuts on access to justice. The full letter is below:
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Dear Prime Minister
Legal aid news - June 2016
Post date: 10th of July 2016Away from the EU referendum and its political fallout, we bring you the latest news relating to legal aid and access to justice.
YLAL Meeting Minutes 08.06.2016
Post date: 5th of July 2016Meeting in London
1. Welcome and introduction
2. Justice in the dock
Jodie Blackstock, Director of Criminal Justice at JUSTICE told us about JUSTICE's In The Dock report. The report considers the use of the dock in criminal trials, and the impact of this on the defendant's right to a fair trial.
Read more...YLAL North minutes 15.06.2016
Post date: 5th of July 2016Since the last meeting in April, please find below a brief update on what people can get involved with/support and attend for YLAL North: -
Read more...Tribunal Fees Consultation
Post date: 5th of June 2016Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) has responded to the Ministry of Justice Consultation on Tribunal Fees in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chambers) - you can read our full response here. The consultation is available to read here.
Read more...Legal aid news - May 2016
Post date: 31st of May 2016Exceptional Case Funding: on 20 May, the Court of Appeal overturned the judgment by the Administrative Court that the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) scheme for civil legal aid is unlawful. The case was brought by Public Law Project on behalf of IS, a protected party by his litigation friend the Official Solicitor. Last year, the Administrative Court held that the ECF scheme is unlawful as it gives rise to an unacceptable risk that people will not be able to obtain legal aid where required by the European Convention on Human Rights or under EU law.
Read more...YLAL North Minutes 12.05.2016
Post date: 16th of May 2016The subject of the meeting was Being a Legal Officer in a Human Rights Charity: what's involved and how to get there. We were joined by Hermione McEwen, legal officer at Freedom from Torture, to speak about her career to date and how the charity's work has been affected by cuts to legal aid.
We had a great talk with Hermione, it was a privilege to hear from someone who has had so much experience as a lawyer and judge. Thanks to all that came and especially to Katy Moulton for organising.
Read more...YLAL Meeting Minutes 11.05.2016
Post date: 16th of May 2016Attendees: Rachel, Ollie, Philip, Tara, Janine, Imogen, Frances, Daniel, Max, Oliver, Anastasia, Rosie, Aileen, Sonya, Rushika, Henry, Catriona, Richard, Nathan, Emily, Rebecca, Kate, Susanne, Claire, Gimhani, Ian, Katherine and others
1. Welcome and introduction
2. Crowdfunding justice and junior doctors' contract – Guest Speakers
CrowdJustice: Julia Salasky
Read more...Response to Bach Commission
Post date: 16th of May 2016This is Young Legal Aid Lawyers' submission to the call for written evidence by the Bach Commission on Access to Justice, which was set up by Lord Bach after he was asked by Jeremy Corbyn to carry out a comprehensive review of legal aid for the Labour Party, considering civil, crime, family and social welfare law.
The terms of the review are:
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To set out the principles that should be at the heart of the legal aid system.
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To develop a legal aid policy that is credible, principled and up to date.