2 minutes
All solicitors and advocates who provide people with advice and representation through the legal aid scheme in Scotland will receive a three per cent increase in fees from today. The increase was announced last November as part of the Scottish government’s wider response to Martyn Evans’
3 minutes
The Scottish government had no intention to reverse cuts to the legal aid budget made in 2011, contrary to claims made by the Edinburgh Bar Association (EBA) that these savings were meant to be temporary, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf stated as he announced an impending consultation with the profes
1 minute
The impact of budget cuts on the criminal justice system in England and Wales is set to be highlighted in cinemas across the UK in a new advert for The Secret Barrister's book. The anonymous lawyer's book, The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken, was reviewed in Scottish L
2 minutes
Swingeing cuts to legal aid have had a devastating effect on parts of Wales, with some towns having no law centres or legal aid lawyers, The Guardian reports. Before the introduction of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (Laspo) in 2013, legal aid would have accounted for 40 p
1 minute
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has invited solicitors to contribute to a research project looking at whether legal aid for discrimination cases provides effective access to justice for people who have suffered discrimination in Scotland. The equality body also wants to hear from any
3 minutes
Academics, advocates and solicitors to advise on approach to reviewing legal aid fees. Experts from across the legal profession have joined a Scottish government panel to advise on an evidence-based approach for a review of fee levels for legal aid services.
4 minutes
The Scottish government's plans to introduce a presumption against prison sentences of 12 months or less would, in practice, apply to sentences of anywhere up to 18 months where a guilty plea is tendered early enough and would limit access to justice as declining summary business shrinks the pool of
2 minutes
A law firm funder which in part aims to fill the gap left by swingeing cuts to legal aid has raised £100 million in finance. SpectraLegal, a provider of finance and litigation risk management services established in 2014, is currently developing financing options for the UK legal services
SUBSCRIBE
