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LSC publishes guidance on legal aid rules
The LSC has just issued guidance on the new legal aid rules. In February, the documents listed below were posted on the Ministry of Justice website. LAG understands that further documents will be released on 1 April, including the appeal manual and guidance on debt, discrimination and special educational needs.
•Lord Chancellor’s guidance under section 4 of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012;
•Lord Chancellor’s exceptional funding guidance (non-inquests);
•Lord Chancellor’s exceptional funding guidance (inquests); and
•Guidance for reporting controlled work & controlled work matters (‘the Civil codes guidance’).
•Details of online training modules on the new legal aid scheme, Legal aid reforms online training: welcome pack, were also issued.
‘The guidance on exceptional funding makes particularly interesting reading as it has been drafted with an emphasis on trying to discourage claims in civil cases brought under article 6(1) (right to a fair hearing) of the European Convention on Human Rights. This is likely to be a key battleground between lawyers and their clients wanting to extend access to justice and a government seemingly intent on limiting this as much as possible,’ said Steve Hynes, LAG’s director.
Call for nominations for 2013 LALY awards
The Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) awards – which are into their 11th year – have now been launched. Once again, the Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG) is calling for nominations in nine individual categories (see below for the list of categories plus sponsors). For the first time, all relevant categories have been opened up to a broader range of lawyers, including legal executives and case workers.
As well as selecting the winner in each of the individual categories, the judges will also be making a special award for Outstanding Achievement, which is sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. The LALYs’ media partner is Legal Action.
Carol Storer, LAPG’s director, said: ‘With the cuts in legal aid scope just a matter of weeks away now, the 2013 awards are the last time that lawyers in some crucial areas of law will be able to be honoured in this way. We are hoping for a bumper crop of nominations as a result.’
LAPG is seeking nominations for the 2013 LALY awards in the following categories:
•Criminal defence: Accesspoint
•Family legal aid: Resolution
•Social and welfare lawyer: Matrix Legal Aid Link
•Mental health lawyer: DNA Worldwide
•Immigration lawyer: Tikit
•Legal aid firm/not for profit agency: the Law Society
•Legal aid barrister: John M Hayes
•Legal aid newcomer: lawyer: Co-operative Legal Services
•Legal aid newcomer: barrister:
Irwin Mitchell.
The nomination period runs until Friday 26 April 2013. The shortlist will be published in May, and on 2 July the winners will be announced at a ceremony in London.
•For a nomination form, see the insert with this issue.