You have been consulted

Scarcely a month goes by when there is not some consultation that touches on some aspect of legal aid or justice. But this one is a biggie (Transforming Legal Aid: Delivering a more credible and efficient system).

It’s not for lack of interest that I have not so far blogged about it, I’ve just been a bit overwhelmed with work, trying to snatch a moment here and there to digest the consultation document and ponder its ramifications for family law. There are an astonishing array of other excellent blogs and articles which will tell you about the ramifications of the consultation for criminal law – none so far as I can tell saying “Yay! These really are truly excellent proposals, which I wholeheartedly support”, and plenty along the lines of “this will result in a catastrophic collapse of the criminal justice system – what ARE the government thinking?”. I’m not going to bother with a ham fisted attempt to articulate the concerns raised by the criminal legal community – but suggest you try the following examples  : Continue Reading…

FAMILY LEGAL AID PLANS TORN APART IN DAMNING JUSTICE SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT

Ah, it’s just a roller coaster in this job. You never know what to expect – at court, or in your bank account. Don’t you just love it? Today the Justice Select Committee has blown a great big hole in the bow of the LSC proposals to cut our fees (I’d like to say it was all my doing as a result of my eloquent whining at the House of Lords the other day, but I suppose we must give credit to others who have been continuously banging their collective heads against the walls of the LSC trying to get through to them for the longest time).

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As much as I did enjoy reading the press release below, I’d much rather forfeit all the PR noise to know if I’m going to be able to pay my mortgage next year. Who knows what lies in store on this endless voyage? I am feeling pretty seasick (it’s probably all the mixed metaphors I had for lunch). One more consultation and I’m going to walk the plank! So without further ado follows the Bar Council Press Release, which needs no editing:

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Legal Services Commission proposals to cut legal support for vulnerable children and families have been savaged in a damning report from the all-party Justice Select Committee.

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The report, published today, concludes that ‘proposals for reform were based on incomplete data, [and] a superficial understanding of the supply of legal services in this area’.

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The LSC’s approach to reform is condemned as ‘flawed, weak and inflexible’. It is criticised for a ‘conclusions first, evidence after’ approach to policy-making, having commissioned Ernst & Young to gather data to inform its thinking after proposing swingeing cuts to the system.

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Family Legal Aid – A Glimmer of Hope

Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, and I am feeling optimistic. Maybe its just the heady scent of daffodils and the twirting of blackbirds from my ever so soggy garden, but yes, things seem to be looking up. Perhaps I spy the ‘green shoots of recovery’ to steal a trendy pseudo-economics buzzphrase.

The LSC has acknowledged that its proposals were ‘too simple’. Understatement of the year so far.

The Family Justice Council, Association of Lawyers for Children, Law Society, Legal Aid Practitioners’ Group and the Family Law Bar Association all chorused harmoniously in opposition to the proposed scheme in their various consultation responses, like a chorus of mouthy blackbirds. And of a remarkable 1500 responses received, over 70% were from the family bar. Glad to see we are finally fearlessly defending our own corner instead of someone else’s for a change. Plucky little blackbirds we.

It is likely that by May reworked proposals will be emerging for all to see and gaze at in wonderment. You know how things pop up in the border at this time of year and you’ve no idea what they are at first, until all of a sudden – WHAM – and that little shoot tip poking up is a giant something or other. You hope not a giant weed that will strangle everything else. I have that sense of expectant trepidation. What is this green shoot of hope going to turn into?

And, the ‘Best Value Tendering’ Consultation scheduled for Spring 2009 is shelved. Who could have managed another consultation just yet? No thanks, I’m full.

So, all in all looking up. But there may yet be some late frosts. And the temperature is sure to rise again in the coming months.

Strained metaphor ENDS.