I am delighted to publish this guest blogpost by Greg Powell of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association (LCCSA). There is presently a lot of discussion in the media about legal aid, and in particular the rates paid to lawyers under legal aid. This analysis is vital to understanding how we have arrived where we…
Read moreGuest post by Joanna Hardy: Court closures and the cost of losing local justice
I am delighted to host this guest post by Joanna Hardy of Red Lion Chambers, articulating better than I can the appalling legacy of the Ministry of Justice’s continued selling-off of our courts. ******************************* The idea of living in the converted entrance hall of Acton Magistrates’ Court would surprise most lawyers. It used to be a…
Read moreGUEST POST: An open letter to the Chair of the Criminal Bar Association
An open letter to the Chair of the Criminal Bar Association in relation to legal aid rates under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS), signed by 193 criminal barristers. Dear Chris, We write to you and the CBA executive as junior Criminal barristers of 0-12 years’ call, in the wake of the government’s consultation…
Read moreGUEST POST: An open letter to The Criminal Bar Association, The South Eastern Circuit and The Bar Council
Below is an open letter published by five junior criminal practitioners in relation to the new Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS), which for non-lawyers is the scheme for payment of defence advocates in legally aided criminal cases. 19thNovember 2018 We write in relation to a case which has just collapsed at the Crown…
Read moreGuest post by Mukul Chawla QC: Reflections from my years at the independent Bar
I am delighted and honoured to publish this guest post by Mukul Chawla QC. Many readers will know that, after 35 years at the independent Bar blazing trails that leave us mortal practitioners feeling very humbled indeed, Mukul is stepping down as Head of Chambers at Foundry Chambers (formerly 9-12 Bell Yard) for a new beginning in employed practice….
Read moreGuest post: Some calculations on the new Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme
In the latest of a series of guest blogposts looking at the consultation on the proposed new Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme, a contributor has offered the following calculations and comments. Dishonesty For dishonesty offences (category 6), we propose increasing the basic fees for trials, guilty pleas, and cracked trials: in band 6.1 by around…
Read moreGuest post by Francis FitzGibbon QC: A response to Michael Turner QC on Advocates’ Graduated Fees
Another former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, Francis FitzGibbon QC, writes in response to this week’s guest post by Michael Turner QC. This is my reply to Michael Turner QC’s post. He doesn’t seem to have read the first ‘Monday Message’ by Chris Henley QC, the current Chair of the Criminal Bar Association….
Read moreGuest post by Michael Turner QC: Advocates’ Graduated Fees – Where are we now? Up the creek
Michael Turner QC, former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, writes regarding the new Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme. Much of what I would wish to say has been more ably put by Polly Toynbee in this recent article. However, now that the cuts under the new Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme are beginning to bite,…
Read moreGuest post by Ryan Dowding: A Little Help From My Friends – Why Sajid Javid’s letter may have broken the law
I’m delighted to host this guest blogpost by Ryan Dowding. Ryan holds a postgraduate degree in International Human Rights Law and kicks off his pupillage this October. He also teaches human rights in schools and colleges through the Your Rights Matter initiative and runs the law and politics blog Arguably. He tweets at @DowdingRyan. The United Kingdom has for…
Read moreGuest post by Fern Champion: The government thinks it is doing enough to fund Rape Crisis centres. My story shows they are wrong.
I am honoured to host this guest post by Fern Champion. Fern is next week giving evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual Violence, speaking from her own experience about the widespread problems in accessing Rape Crisis centres. This is Fern’s story. I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried to do…
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