Criminal barristers in England and Wales have agreed to vote on ending strike action following discussions with the UK's justice secretary, Brandon Lewis. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) will re-ballot members following meetings with Mr Lewis and his decision to offer a package of further reforms
England
Westminster's justice committee has called on the UK government to re-sentence all prisoners subject to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences. In a report published today, the committee finds that the current regime for managing IPP prisoners is inadequate in supporting their specific n
Four murder accused will be released from prison as the barristers' strike has delayed their trial. The suspects, who cannot be named, were remanded in custody in February after having been charged with the murder of Keith Green in Banbury in Oxfordshire.
England's Court of Appeal has quashed another five convictions of sub-post masters and mistresses. The court ruled that their prosecutions and convictions were an abuse of the court’s process as the evidence against them arose from software, Horizon, which was replete with bugs, errors or defe
Criminal barristers in England and Wales have today begun an indefinite strike aimed at forcing the UK government to deliver a further boost to legal aid funding. Barristers have been striking sporadically since June and last month voted overwhelmingly to escalate their action to an indefinite strik
A former partner at the law firm Capsticks has agreed to be removed from the roll after he admitted making unwanted sexual advances to a junior colleague. Ronald Stephen Simms, admitted in 1991, agreed to leave the solicitor profession after he accepted his actions could be interpreted as harassment
Police officers in England have reportedly been told to reveal to their bosses the identities of news reporters. The measure, already used by some police forces, follows guidance from the College of Policing and was only discovered by accident, The Guardian reports.
English solicitors could be given more advocacy rights under UK government plans to break the barristers' strike, according to reports. The Daily Mail quotes a government source as saying ministers "are looking to give more solicitors higher rights of audience to broaden the work they can do, increa
Fines will no longer be used as a penalty in the vast majority of cases of sexual misconduct, discrimination or any form of harassment by English and Welsh solicitors under proposals published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). A consultation launched yesterday on the SRA's fining regime
Criminal barristers in England and Wales have voted overwhelmingly for an indefinite strike in a major escalation of their campaign for higher legal aid pay. After a two-week ballot by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) in which 2,273 people voted — significantly more than either of the two pr
Criminal barristers in England and Wales are being balloted on whether their industrial action over the low rates of legal aid should be escalated into an "uninterrupted strike". In a letter to members, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said all of those on strike "made the decision to withdraw the
The UK's justice secretary Dominic Raab is planning to limit the scope of judicial review in England and Wales, according to a leaked document seen by The Guardian. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) paper details changes that would limit the accountability of ministers in judicial reviews.
An appeal by a firm of English solicitors seeking to bring proceedings for £3 million against two former clients for the manner in which they settled a claim has been refused by the Court of Appeal. Candey Ltd brought the action against Basem Bosheh and Amjad Salfiti on the basis of fraudulent
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in England and Wales has commissioned the Universities of York, Cardiff, and Lancaster to lead a new independent review into why it receives more reports about Black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors than their white colleagues. The project will also rev
A man found carrying a crossbow on the grounds of Windsor Castle last Christmas and who allegedly made threats against the Queen has been charged with a treason offence. Jaswant Singh Chail, 20, who was sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 following his arrest, was also charged with possession