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Triage: talking at cross purposes?
Published 01/02/2019 by Marco Montanaro
This article provides a general overview of triage, exploring what it means and what its implications for access-to-justice services are. After tracing the history of the word 'triage', the article goes on to chart some recent developments in Canada and offers some suggestions as to how a triage mechanism could effectively benefit the access-to-justice sector across the UK.
Is access to justice harder to find than alien life?
Published 01/02/2019
Spare a couple of minutes and listen to this insightful presentation by Laura Quinn on how the Drake Formula could be applied to the access-to-justice sector.
Equality and Human Rights Framework: Learning Programme
Published 01/02/2019
Hosted in Cambridge at the Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service on 11th February and 4th March, the programme is looking for people at voluntary and community organisations in the East of England to register. Workshops will help embed equality and human rights into your organisation in order to strengthen your core aims and improve outcomes for the people you support. This learning programme is free but to confirm your place a refundable deposit of £25 is required.
National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference in Canberra
Published 01/02/2019
Presented by the Law Council of Australia and the Australian Pro Bono Centre, the 7th National Access to Justice & Pro Bono Conference will be held in Canberra on 13-15 March 2019. Join legal professionals, judges, government law officers, academics and students from across Australia and overseas to discuss critical and current access to justice issues facing Australians. Early bird prices close 15 February 2019.
FLOWS is live!
Published 31/01/2019
FLOWS delivers legal-advice resources for front-line professionals in Women’s Refuges, Women’s Aid organisations and organisations that provide safe environments to disclose abuse: for example, local Citizens Advice services, law clinics, and court-based services such as PSU as well as individual women.
Calling frontline asylum organisations! New programme from Refugee Action
Published 31/01/2019
Refugee Action is growing its Asylum Guide programme and is looking for more frontline asylum organisations to join their network.
Vacancy: North West Legal Support Trust - Committee Members
Published 30/01/2019
Interested in supporting access to justice in the North West? The North West Legal Support Trust helps to organise Legal Walks in Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Carlisle which raise funds to support the provision of free legal advice across the region. They are looking for enthusiastic and committed people from across the legal community to join their friendly committee.
Parliament passes three Bills aimed at delivering safer prisons and efficient justice
Published 29/01/2019
The Ministry of Justice had three of its proposed legislative bills passed in Parliament just before Christmas. Read on to see how they might have an impact on litigants in persons bringing these types claims.
HMCTS Reform: Probate Applications Online
Published 29/01/2019
HM Courts and Tribunal Service has launched their online probate application service.
Transforming the Response to Domestic Abuse Consultation Response and Draft Bill
Published 29/01/2019
The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice recently published the Transforming the Response to Domestic Abuse Consultation Response and Draft Bill. This follows from the Prime Minister’s announcement of plans to transform the way the UK thinks about and tackle domestic abuse in February 2017. See what it plans to accomplish and what powers it may introduce for the courts use to protect survivors of domestic abuse.
Lord Chief Justice highlights plight of Litigants in Person at annual press conference
Published 29/01/2019
As you might expect, particular focus was given to the recent Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) review and how the Lord Chief Justice had seen this impact the number of unrepresented litigants. In response, he explained that the judiciary’s role is to inform the government of the practical impacts of the changes they made in 2012 during his annual press conference.
In need of Pro Bono support? Consider Taproot+
Published 29/01/2019
New tech that could be a a useful resource of pro bono support for your organisation! you could fin marketing, HR, finance and tech volunteers to help your service and you remain control. You decide who you work with and how: virtually or in person, with the volunteers you pick. Read on for more.
Community.lawyer app now publicly launched!
Published 29/01/2019
Community.lawyer is an American company who are using technology combined with legal knowledge to deliver efficiency through digitisation. Their newly showcased tool is an ‘app builder’ that allows user information to be gathered through a self built series of questions, community.lawyer has created a video demo of how you can use to the tool along with a ‘getting started’ tutorial. Last year the app was beta tested and it is now publicly launched. Visit their website to start using it.
Thinking about new tech for your organisation? Consider the Tech for Good Hub
Published 29/01/2019
You might be thinking about using new technology to deliver better services in our organisation but unclear where you should start. The Tech for Good Hub is a good starting point to consider. They are an organisation supported by Comic Relief & The Paul Hamlyn Foundation. They are a community of people that are about making tech that addresses social, economic and environmental challenges, and about building that tech in a collaborative, user-led way with an end result that's ethically right-on. You don't have to be a designer to understand the principles of good product development. Even if you've spent your whole working in the life in the voluntary sector and don't like learning new tech. Anyone can understand. The will walk you through the user research, understanding the social, the financial and the user value of your tech and the agile. Visit there website.
Technology and Law Policy Commission Evidence Session in London
Published 29/01/2019
The Technology and Law Policy Commission, chaired by Law Society President Christina Blacklaws will be having two upcoming evidence sessions. This body will examine the use of algorithms in the justice system in England and Wales and what controls, if any, are needed to protect human rights and instill trust in the system. They will me taking evidence from a range of disciplines including academia, technology development, law enforcement, regulation, legal, human rights and political and ethical science. Join them in London on Thursday 14th February 2019 for a discussion about the current state of algorithms in the justice system, what is on the horizon and ask your questions to a range of world leading experts.
Technology and Law Policy Commission Evidence Session in Cardiff
Published 29/01/2019
The Technology and Law Policy Commission, chaired by Law Society President Christina Blacklaws will be having two upcoming evidence sessions. This body will examine the use of algorithms in the justice system in England and Wales and what controls, if any, are needed to protect human rights and instill trust in the system. They will me taking evidence from a range of disciplines including academia, technology development, law enforcement, regulation, legal, human rights and political and ethical science. Join them in Cardiff on Thursday 7th February 2019 for a discussion about the current state of algorithms in the justice system, what is on the horizon and ask your questions to a range of world leading experts.
LIP Network Survey results are in!
Published 28/01/2019
Thank you so much to all our members (and non members) who completed our 2018 end of year survey, we had 79 responses in total. We'll be using the feedback to develop our plans for 2019 over the next couple of months but, in the meantime, here is an overview of the response data.
HMCTS Advice on Coming to Court
Published 28/01/2019 by Wahida Ahmed
Take a look at HMCTS advice on coming to court. This provides some general advice for Litigants in Person attending a court or tribunal.
Money Advice on Trust- Podcast on Mental Health
Published 28/01/2019 by Wahida Ahmed
Mental health problems can often be linked to or caused by financial difficulties, as a result, the financial services sector have taken steps to improve the way firms understand the needs of customers suffering with mental health problems. A new podcast has been released to highlight some of these issues.
Introduction to Welfare Benefits
Published 28/01/2019 by Wahida Ahmed
Don't miss this event, hosted by Dentons (London) on Thursday 7th February 2019, 6:30 – 7:30pm. This training session provides an introduction to welfare benefits and is delivered by an experienced solicitor. The session will cover:introduction to welfare benefits, including Personal Independence Payment, Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit. Entitlement, including financial thresholds. Appeals, remedies and Legal Aid (In the upper tribunal). Register via the link to book your place.
