Category Archives: Articles

by | April 6, 2017 · 8:28 am

New Handbook published

The new edition of the Handbook has now been published and pre-order copies are being dispatched. You can order your copy from LAG here.

This book is an invaluable companion and essential reading for all legal aid practitioners, from caseworkers to senior partners. The authors have expertly pulled together information that is not currently available in one place providing the only single volume guide to the criminal and civil legal aid scheme.

‘… admirably clear on some very tricky points. There should be at least one copy in every office where legal aid work is carried out.’ Carol Storer, director, LAPG.

‘I wish I could say “this book is never off my desk” but the truth is my copy of LAG Legal Aid Handbook always appears to be on someone else’s … Essential reading for all practitioners seeking to provide a first class service to clients in a post-LASPO world.’  Phil Walsh Partner/Practice Manager, Miles & Partners LLP.

The  LAG legal aid handbook 2017/18 gives practical, step by step guidance on conducting cases, getting paid, advocacy, financial and contract management, performance monitoring and quality standards and an overview of recent policy developments. There are separate chapters on all the major areas of law covered by legal aid and sections devoted to litigators and advisers, advocates and managers.

This edition has been updated to include:

•  full coverage of the new 2017 crime contract

•  latest changes and updates to the civil scheme

•  discussion of current case law and hot topics in legal aid practice

•  hints, tips and practical advice from how to manage a contract to navigating CCMS

•  specialist chapters on billing, crime, public family law, private family law, housing, mental health, immigration and exceptional funding

•  a dedicated section for advocates

•  guidance on managing legal aid work and tendering for contracts

•  a full round up of the latest policy developments

The only comprehensive guide to the whole legal aid scheme, the new edition features chapters written by expert contributors Anthony Edwards, Richard Charlton, Steve Hynes, Solange Valdez-Symonds and Katie Brown. The LAG legal aid handbook 2017/18 is packed full of case studies, checklists and practical tips. It provides clear and easy to follow guidance on the ever more complex legal aid system and is essential reading for everyone involved in legal aid from new caseworkers to experienced lawyers and managers.

 

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by | March 18, 2017 · 5:17 pm

The new Handbook – coming very soon!

The brand new edition of the LAG Legal Aid Handbook will be published at the beginning of April. Fully revised and updated, this edition features

  • full coverage of the new 2017 crime contract
  • latest changes and updates to the civil scheme
  • discussion of current case law and hot topics in legal aid practice
  • hints, tips and practical advice from how to manage a contract to navigating CCMS
  • specialist chapters on billing, crime, public family law, private family law, housing, mental health, immigration and exceptional funding
  • a dedicated section for advocates
  • guidance on managing legal aid work and tendering for contracts
  • a full round up of the latest policy developments

The Handbook is edited by Vicky Ling and Simon Pugh, and features contributions from a range of subject experts including Anthony Edwards, Steve Hynes, Richard Charlton, Solange Valdez-Symonds and Katie Brown.

You can pre-order your copy now by e-mailing: direct.orders@marston.co.uk or phoning: 01235 465577, or by clicking here.

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by | November 24, 2014 · 8:37 pm

Sorting myths from facts over housing cases

Many of our readers with an interest in housing legal aid will have seen the excellent article in this month’s Legal Action, “Sorting myths from facts over housing cases” by Sara Stephens and Jan Luba QC. Many of the citations in the article were to the legal aid reform FAQs issued when LASPO first came into force in 2013, but which are no longer available on the LAA website since it migrated to the gov.uk domain. Fortunately we saved a copy, and they are available here (final version) and on our LASPO Resources page, which also includes the two earlier versions.

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by | August 6, 2012 · 10:58 am

News round up

In this update:

  • Civil tender PQQ outcomes
  • JR of expert fees – Law Society intervene
  • What happens to clients from April 2013?
  • Lost in the post?
  • Welfare benefits – moving the goalposts?

Continue reading →

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by | July 10, 2012 · 9:54 am

News round up

In this update:

  • Legal aid and the Olympics
  • Assessing the means of prisoners
  • Devolved powers for judicial review
  • Why LGFS claims are rejected
  • LSC release annual statistics
  • Calling the LSC
  • Regulation of solicitors in NfPs

Continue reading →

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by | May 3, 2012 · 10:46 am

LegalVoice making itself heard

A new online magazine for those working in legal aid and access to justice publishes for the first time today. The arrival of LegalVoice is a hugely welcome development and a much needed extra resource for legal aid lawyers – and it’s entirely free.

Vicky is one of the founders and we will both be writing regularly. Vicky begins a series guiding practitioners through the web of civil contracting, and I write on the future of LSC contracts. Other articles include Carol Storer on the perception of legal aid lawyers, Christina Blacklaws on the Co-op’s move into law, Julie Bishop on the future of Law Centres and Ruth Hayes on innovation at Islington Law Centre, and an interview with Lord Bach.

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by | November 25, 2011 · 9:34 am

Major concession on legal aid bill?

The Mirror reports that the government “is ditching plans to cut legal aid in medical negligence cases”. While that would be a welcome move – and perhaps not unexpected; clinical negligence and domestic violence being at the top of most predictions of likely concessions – the Gazette is reporting that the Ministry of Justice is neither confirming nor denying the report and there has certainly been no official announcement. LAG speculates that it is likely that there will be such a concession, but that it has leaked rather earlier than the government would have liked.

Whatever the true position, it does seem certain that the legal aid bill is in for a much less smooth passage through the Lords than the Commons, having been heavily criticised by all speakers except the minister at second reading earlier in the week. When there are confirmed changes, we will bring them to you.

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by | October 25, 2011 · 1:09 pm

Social welfare advice deserts to widen

Justice for All has calculated that over 30% of local authority areas will have so few cases left that there will be less than one housing adviser for the entire region once the scope cuts in the legal aid bill come into effect. A third of the country will in effect have no social welfare legal aid advice provision. I spoke to Jon Robins about the impact of this research on Shelter and its clients; his article is on the Guardian’s law website.

There is still time to use Justice for All’s handy (and very quick) tool to email your MP about the effect of the legal aid cuts before the third reading debate on Monday. Please do so, and urge others to as well.

 

 

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by | June 13, 2011 · 6:00 pm

The case for legal aid

In February, Young Legal Aid Lawyers and the Haldane Society convened a Commission of Inquiry at the House of Commons into whether there was a case for legal aid. The report of the Commission – composed not of lawyers or users of legal aid, but of an independent panel – has now been published the Jures website. They considered submissions for and against legal aid, as well as personal testimony, and the result is a serious and timely rebuttal of much of the government’s case for legal aid reform. The full report, Unequal Before the Law, is available on the Jures website, and its director, Jon Robins, has written about it for The Guardian.

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by | June 5, 2011 · 7:31 pm

“An essential acquisition”

Our thanks to Phillip Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers for his kind review of the Handbook. You can purchase your copy by clicking on the cover image above.

 

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