Whither the Sentencing Council?
Many Government consultation are on rather specific issues. The consultation considered here is rather different, designed to encourage some rather more blue-skies thinking about the work of the...
View ArticleSolicitors’ Qualifying Examination – starting 2021
After many years of gestation, at the end of October 2020 the Legal Services Board gave its approval to proposals for the new Solicitors’ Qualifying Examination, due to come into force in September....
View ArticleIndependent Review of Criminal Legal Aid – announcement
Just before Christmas, the Government made the long awaited announcement that the independent review of Criminal Legal Aid would start work in January 2021 – with a view to reporting by the end of...
View ArticleRegulating the legal profession in England and Wales – new report from the...
Just before Christmas 2020, two important reports were published about how the legal professions in England and Wales should become more competitive and do more to meet unmet legal need. First up was...
View ArticleThe state of legal services in England and Wales: new report from the Legal...
A second report on legal services which was published towards the end of 2020 is that by The Legal Services Board. Entitled The State of Legal Services 2020, the Board reflects on some of the Board’s...
View ArticleSeeking legal help online: the challenge of design
In December 2020 Roger Smith, who runs the excellent Law, Technology and Access to Justice website (at https://law-tech-a2j.org/,) posted an item about an important report from Australia. Written by...
View ArticleEqual Treatment Bench Book – 2021 revision
The Equal Treatment Bench Book (ETBB) is the subject of frequent amendment. A Comprehensive revision was released in February, 2021.. The aim of the ETBB to increase judicial awareness and...
View ArticleResponding to Covid-19: the work of tribunals
All parts of the English Legal System have been affected by Covid 19 – some more adversely than others. The criminal justice system in particular is under severe pressure – not all the result of...
View ArticleWhat do judges think about their job?
The UK Judicial Attitude Survey is a longitudinal survey conducted by Prof Cheryl Thomas of the University College London Judicial Institute. It covers all serving salaried judges in England &...
View ArticleMandatory retirement age for judges
For a number of years, concern has grown about the ability of the courts’ system to recruit judges, particular to the most senior positions in the High Court. One obvious idea, which gained...
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