The Law Society has requested a two-week break for non-custody cases as concerns about the health and safety of court users emerge.

When the world shut down due to covid-19, it had a massive impact on the legal field. For the most part, we’ve managed to adapt with the help of remote working and advances in legal tech. However, one crucial part of the justice system remains severely stunted and that is our courts.

In this post, I explain how the pandemic impacted the criminal and family courts, how this affects access to justice and how things may change in future.

In exciting news for those of you keen on a life of public prosecution, the CPS has announced that it is relaunching its Legal Trainee Scheme.

As reported in the Law Gazette, Director of Public Prosecutions Kier Starmer has vowed that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will become entirely paperless by April 2012.

There are an estimated 250,000 paralegals in the UK, a figure that has grown considerably in recent years. Paralegals play a vital role in legal businesses of all sizes, not only providing essential support to lawyers, but also working independently to manage cases and serve clients.

The shifting focus of universities around generative AI continues to develop and, where many still view generative AI as a threat, there are some who see it as an opportunity.

Legal work experience is extremely beneficial not least because it demonstrates commitment to the legal field but also because it provides valuable insight into life as a solicitor. As a student, you’re encouraged to apply for insight days and vacation schemes. These, of course, are extremely useful but if you want to gain further experience, here are three creative ways you can do so.  

At the criminal Bar you may be called on to act for either the defence or the prosecution.

The criminal bar has secured additional hardship provisions from the government in a bid to support practitioners as the pandemic continues to impact the profession and chambers report huge reductions in income. 

The Criminal Bar Association has announced that some of its members will not attend crown courts on the morning of 6 January, the first day of the new court term next year, in protest at the government’s legal aid cuts.

The pressures on criminal barristers are forcing many to regularly skip lunch or any other form of break, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association has said.

Criminal barristers in England and Wales have reported that they feel overworked and underpaid and would be willing to take direct action.

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has unanimously passed a motion proposing strike action if the government implements further criminal legal aid cuts.

Criminal barristers are voting on whether to stage a one-day walk-out as their dispute with the Ministry of Justice over fees continues.

Following a vote to join the criminal Bar in protest action, more than 100 criminal defence solicitors will stop taking on low-paid work in response to the government’s criminal legal aid reforms.

Following a morning walk-out in protest at the proposed cuts to legal aid earlier this month, criminal lawyers are planning to stage a full day of protest if the government’s planned cuts go ahead.

The Ministry of Justice has revealed plans to fast-track legislation that will see barristers receive increased legal aid fees at a faster rate. The announcement follows the start of a series of strikes at the Bar that started on Monday and are set to continue for four weeks. 

Criminal legal aid fees are set to increase by the end of September, as the government revealed plans to “lay a statutory instrument in parliament before 21 July, to begin the process of implementing increases to fees”.