Research Workstream
The unresolved advice problems that are straining our mental health services
Published 05/04/2019
The link between those seeking advice services and people with mental health problems is one the advice sector has long experienced, now mental health services are feeling the impact of their patient's advice needs not being met. A report by citizens advice demonstrates the extent of practitioner concern.
Questions about court reform? This report has (most of) the answers
Published 28/02/2019
The Legal Education Foundation has published a comprehensive and insightful report by leading legal journalist Joshua Rozenberg QC on the court reform programme, from origins to implementation.
Bar Council Legal Reporting Awards
Published 18/01/2019 by Stacey Lamb
Article on what it's like to be a litigant in person is among the winners of the Bar Council Legal Reporting Awards.
What is the scale of disinvestment in access to justice for individuals?
Published 21/11/2018 by Laura Keane
As part of Justice Week, a research report commissioned by the Bar Council of England and Wales revealed that funding for Justice has been cut by 27% in the past decade despite government expenditure increasing by 13% since the 2008 financial crisis.
The Eleventh annual performance report on the Australian pro bono target
Published 16/11/2018 by Roisin O'Connell
The eleventh annual performance report on the Australian pro bono target has just been released by the Australian pro bono centre detailing the progress of the pro bono lawyers in Australia.
LSB Report Might Give Insight Into Legal Aid Review Outcomes
Published 11/10/2018 by Suhanya Jeyashiri
Since it’s implementation, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) has been met with vast amounts of controversy. It has left no free legal assistance stone unturned in its quest to cut funding for advice, and the consequent impact has been seismic.
Request for Guidance on Research Questions
Published 20/09/2018
A new programme of funded research on welfare advice, provision and health is seeking guidance on what areas to focus on from those wo work on the frontline.
Triage tools – The Illinois Model
Published 20/09/2018 by Christian Gunther
Triage tools, legal portals, guided pathways. Whatever the terminology, the use of technology to gather information from service users and signpost or refer them, based on that information given, to appropriate services is a much sought after resource. Getting the model right is an undeniable challenge but there are some good international examples of how to make the right technology work in the right situations.
Refugee Action: Access to Justice Report Summary
Published 20/09/2018
Refugee Action’s most recent report focuses on how the legal aid cuts affect the accessibility of advice for individuals seeking assistance on immigration and asylum.
The Australian Approach to Access to Justice
Published 07/09/2018
With thanks to our network member Emily MacLoud, this comprehensive overview gives an interesting insight into the approach Australia has taken to designing an encompassing national triage tool for LiPs.
Indian High Court IT Initiatives
Published 07/09/2018
The Indian Punjab and Haryana High Court has begun utilising IT to support litigants, lawyers and judges in a variety of ways.
The case for national disaster legal aid in the UK
Published 31/08/2018
In this entry we examine whether the UK should follow the American example of having a national agency that provides free and immediate legal assistance to survivors of disasters, as well as resources for lawyers and information for individuals on the legal implications of such disasters. This topic will be considered in light of the aftermath of the devastating Grenfell Tower fire.
Innovative staff and students are collaborating in America to help LiPs
Published 24/08/2018
We examine two programs developed by American universities that enable students to devise innovative solutions to problems faced by LiPs and we advocate for the pursuit of a similar approach in the UK.
A common concern for ensuring just participation
Published 17/08/2018
Research suggests that those subject to proceedings under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 often fail to give witness testimony and may even be absent from their trial. This creates problems that are comparable to those arising for LiPs.
What can we learn from Canadian efforts to promote access to justice
Published 17/08/2018
The approaches of Canadian law reformers are examined to find out how their insights could provide us with some fresh strategies for helping LiPs,
An Insight into Legal Consciousness
Published 10/08/2018
Recent research suggests that people are becoming alienated from the law and may even disengage with it altogether.
Could data-sharing improve the support provided to service users in vulnerable situations?
Published 10/08/2018
As a litigant in person, explaining your situation to a support or legal adviser you don’t know can be difficult. Compounding this anxiety is having to repeatedly give the same information to multiple service providers. Could data-sharing be the answer?
Germany vs England - Informal Justice
Published 03/08/2018
In an insightful comparative empirical study of the United Kingdom and Germany Naomi Creutzfeldt highlights how differing experiences of the formal legal system shape citizens' wider attitudes towards justice.
Q&A with Jess Mant
Published 26/07/2018
Cardiff University Lecturer, Jess Mant discusses what inspired her research on litigants in person in the family court.
New research on litigants in person and the family court
Published 26/07/2018
Preliminary findings from research regarding litigants in person in the private family court suggest that the post-LASPO process has led LiPs to lose trust in the system and in some cases made them feel worse off than when they started.
