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Nothing is certain except death and Council Tax
(Author: Andrew Hansard, Specialist Debt Adviser, RCJ Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Islington) It was a grey and dreary Thursday afternoon at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court where four Enfield Council employees armed with clipboards and a number ticket system await a growing crowd. They have issued over 500 Liability Order Summons for non-payment of Council Tax in October 2017 and they are expecting around 20 people to turn up...
Get help with child arrangements
Gov.UK guide on preparing to make arrangements and reaching an agreement. This guide may be useful if someone needs to make or change child arrangements (also known as contact, access or custody) with the other parent. For example, they may need to decide where their children will live or rearrange the times they see their parents.
Litigant in Person costs & Pro Bono Cost orders
Litigants in Person can claim £19 per hour for time they spend working on their case (or the actual financial loss if this can prove this). Costs can also be claimed for any advice given for free by lawyers as a pro bono cost order. Pro bono costs are just like ordinary legal costs, but applicable where a party received free legal representation. If a civil case is won with pro bono help, pro bono costs can be ordered by the court, or included in settlements. The pro bono costs must be paid to the prescribed charity, the Access to Justice Foundation, which distributes the money to agencies and projects that give free legal help to those in need. Front line agencies responsible for obtaining pro bono costs can expect to receive up to 50% of the costs recovered. Click here to find out more about Litigant in Person Costs and Pro Bono Cost Orders
New grant scheme for advice organisations from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a grant scheme to help improve the quality and availability of advice across Great Britain. The are looking for applications from advice organisations that will use the funding to improve access to justice for the people they work with. Grants of £50,000 to £250,000 are available for schemes that aim to improve access to justice. The project should deliver an activity that organisations would otherwise have been unable to provide and meet one or both of the following criteria: improving the quality or quantity of discrimination or human rights advice; AND/OR improving information and knowledge sharing about discrimination and human rights in the advice sector, including information about the availability of advice and referral routes.
SRA consultation: Looking to the future - better information, more choice
(Richard Silver, Consumer Affairs Policy Officer, Solicitors Regulation Authority) The SRA have recently published a new consultation which we are hoping will herald some big changes in the solicitor world, and make all the difference to people when they have legal problems and need help. (open for comment until 20 December).
Trust for London – Latest data on poverty and inequality in London.
Trust for London’s 2017 edition of the London Poverty Profile has been released and its’ website has been re-vamped so that all of the latest data on poverty and inequality in London can be found in an easy and readable form. This may be useful for agencies making funding applications. KEY FINDINGS: 27% of Londoners are living in poverty (after housing costs); 50% of London's wealth is owned by the top 10%. 58% of Londoners in poverty live in a working family. This is a 50% increase over the last decade.
Looking for Volunteers?
If you are looking for legal or non-legal volunteers or if you are looking to volunteer yourself, please visit the National Pro Bono Centre volunteer portal.
National Pro Bono Week 2017 - What’s on?
This year's National Pro Bono Week is 6 -11th November. To find out what is happen and how to get involved, during the week and beyond, please click here visit the National Pro Bono Centre website.
The Personal Support Unit reflect on some surprising statistics.
(Author Lizzie Irons, Head of Service, the Personal Support Unit) As we head into the autumn, we are taking stock, with each PSU writing a progress report for April to September 2017. The most surprising news is not the overall increase in client contacts over the period, but the fact that for over a third of our services (8 of 21) recorded client contacts peaked in August, reaching the highest client contact figures to date. Gone are the days when the summer represented a dip in workload and a short breathing space.
Home Office launches Assisted Digital service for online visa and immigration applications
The Home Office are offering a Assisted Digital service to support customers who need digital help to complete their immigration application online. The service does not offer immigration advice but is available to those who do not have the appropriate access, skills or confidence to complete an online immigration application form.
Transform Justice: “No other Western adversarial system denies defendants legal representation”
(22nd September 2017) Our criminal justice system is fiercesomely complicated – so complex that the Law Commission has proposed a massive simplification of criminal law...Read more.
Pro Bono Connect: Two heads are better than one
(Author Jamie Goldsmith, Pro Bono Connect) Barristers and solicitors often do pro bono cases separately. Sometimes that is appropriate, but- for litigation in particular- it is much more efficient and effective to work together as a team. That is what happens in paid litigation: so why not pro bono cases too? Pro Bono Connect brings the two halves of the profession together.
The Open University and prison-based PLE
(Author: Hugh McFaul, Open Justice) Reminiscent of the tag line for a well-known Dutch beer, The Open University prides itself on teaching students that other higher education institutions may struggle to reach. A clear example is The OU’s longstanding partnership with the UK prisons; studying for an OU degree is often the only realistic path to a degree for serving prisoners. Students who have completed degrees in prison testify to the positive impact this can have on their life inside, as well as post release, and the OU graduation ceremonies held within prisons are particularly inspirational.
The Non-Lawyer’s Guide To Legal Terms
Pinnington Law have created a glossary to help people understand the legal processes involved in divorce or separation proceedings. From the various technical terms involved in court proceedings and legal documents to the different child arrangement orders and agreements for which people can apply.
Problem Solving Courts in Scotland: New Developments (The Centre for Justice Innovation)
(21st September 2017) Since Glasgow Drug Court opened its doors in 2001, problem-solving has become a recognised part of the Scottish justice system. But the Angiolini commission’s 2012 support for the approach, has launched a new wave of problem-solving courts which adapt models to meet local challenges. The briefing explores the history of three of Scotland’s newest problem-solving courts: The Aberdeen Problem-Solving Approach, Forfar Problem-Solving Court and Edinburgh Alcohol Problem-Solving Court.
National Pro Bono Week: 6-11 November 2017 - why not host an event?
(Author: Ella Playfair, National Pro Bono Week Committee) The dates of this year’s NPBW are confirmed as Monday 6 – Saturday 11 November, and for the first time we have added spotlights on the themes of health and education issues and how they interrelate with pro bono.
Three Cheers for the Magna Carta!
Melissa Mohndoro, Trainee Solicitor at RCJ Advice discusses the Supreme Court's decision to abolish Employment Tribunal fees. "The Employment Tribunals exist to provide a simple means for individuals to challenge the decisions of employers that affect their civil rights. In spite of the ever-increasing complexity of modern employment law, a great many citizens pursue claims in the employment tribunal as a litigant in person.
Legal aid reform and LASPO - a collective memorandum to the Justice Select Committee (Sept 2017)
LawWorks have been working with stakeholders and partners to present compelling evidence to the new Justice Select Committee as part of the overall review process considering legal aid reforms. The stakeholder group has included Advice UK, the Advice Services Alliance, Coram Children's Legal Centre, Mind, JustRights, Legal Aid Practitioners Group, Law Centres Network, the Legal Action Group, London Legal Support Trust, the Personal Support Unit, Youth Access, the Bar Council, and the Immigration Practitioners Group.
A Guide to Legal Remedies for Victims of Trafficking for Labour Exploitation
FLEX (Focus on Labour Exploitation) have published a Guide to Legal Remedies for Victims of Trafficking for Labour Exploitation. The guide recognises that access to legal remedies for victims of human trafficking is about more than compensation, and that access to justice relies on access to legal assistance and support. The aim of the Guide is to provide practical information that can assist service providers in informing victims about their legal options and directing them towards legal advice.
Brexit and migration: the UK’s position on the rights of EU nationals in the UK post-Brexit
(September 2017) The Legal Action Group have published a summary of The UK government’s position on migration post-Brexit as set out in its policy paper.
