News round up

CILEx Awards honour the cream of the crop

CILEx celebrated the hard work and dedication of its members, and the legal community, with the annual CILEx Awards. Five awards were presented at the CILEx Graduation and Admission Ceremonies in October. The award winner in each category was as follows:

In the run up to National Pro Bono Week, from 6 November to 11 November, it is especially appropriate to focus on the CILEx Pro Bono Award winner, Chartered Legal Executive Nazmin Akthar. Nazmin is a trustee of the Muslim Women's Network UK (MWNUK). The charity works towards promoting equality for and social inclusion of Muslim women.

The impact of Nazmin’s pro bono work has been felt both internally and externally. She has helped the MWNUK grow as an organisation, assisted distressed service users, and also facilitated making changes in wider society.

Nazmin’s prize money of £500 is being donating to the charity of her choice, ie, MWNUK.

 

Bach Commission report: food for thought on access to justice

The Bach Commission’s final report recommends a statutory right to justice, reforms to legal aid, and better public legal education.

The commission, chaired by past Lord Willy Bach, made its recommendations after receiving evidence from various organisations, including CILEx over the past two years. One of the commissioners was CILEx past president Nick Hanning.

Although not all of the CILEx recommendations feature in the final report, it, nevertheless, makes a welcome addition to the discussion about the importance of access to justice in society today. The final report follows on from the UK Supreme Court’s judgment on employment tribunal fees in R (UNISON) v Lord Chancellor, [2017] UKSC 51 and The Lammy Review: An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system.

CILEx President, Millicent Grant, said: For some years now, we have seen access to justice and the rule of law deprioritised in the public discourse. We see this in the removal of whole areas of law from the scope of legal aid, in the increasing cost of using the courts system, and in the reduction in publicly funded sources of free legal support.

‘In this light, it is refreshing to read the Bach Commission’s final report, showing the ambitious thinking needed to halt the decline in access to justice, and putting forward proposals to turn the situation around. We hope that the commission’s recommendations will be carefully considered by all parties.

‘The report is right to highlight the issues surrounding trust in our justice system, and the important part that a diverse profession and judiciary has to play in building and maintaining that trust. CILEx is one of the most diverse legal professions, with three-quarters of our lawyers being women and one-third of our new students being from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. That is why we recently renewed our call for the removal of the glass ceiling that prevents experienced Chartered Legal Executive lawyers applying for senior judicial roles. This report adds yet a further reason to see this outdated oversight rectified.

‘Furthermore, Chartered Legal Executives are specialist lawyers who can set up and run their own businesses delivering the full range of legal services. They make an important contribution to a diverse legal market, and a well-functioning market of independent legal service providers is essential to achieving meaningful access to justice. CILEx lawyers undoubtedly have a role to play in an enhanced legal aid market that values small and specialist providers, as well as generalists.’

 

News in brief

Tender process for 2018 civil contracts

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has opened the tender process for 2018 civil contracts in three areas of work: face-to-face contracts; specialist civil legal advice telephone advice; and housing possession court duty scheme. LAA tender pages provide detailed information, including: categories of law covered by the tenders; tender timetable; entry requirements; management of the tenders; and submitting your tender bid.

Consultation into Investigatory Powers Tribunal appeals

The proposed draft revised rules ask for views on the changes to the rules which govern the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT). The draft rules reflect the new right of appeal and update the existing rules to reflect the evolution of IPT practice and procedures since they were written in 2000. The consultation ends on 10 November 2017.

Solicitors Journal
1857–2017

Solicitors Journal published its last issue in September. Archives of the Journal will remain available in the Law Society library, the British Library, and the repository libraries.

 

 

CILEx at the Opening of the Legal Year

Opening of the Legal Year in England

Simon Garrod, CILEx’s director of the policy and governance, writes:

A fine autumn morning, on 2 October, saw the Opening of the Legal Year service at Westminster Abbey, followed by a reception in Westminster Hall.

CILEx President Millicent Grant, vice- president Phil Sherwood and deputy vice-president Patricia White joined the procession with other domestic and international leaders and members of the legal profession, including the Lord Chancellor David Lidington. The day also saw the swearing-in of the new Lord Chief Justice Sir Ian Burnett, and of the Supreme Court president, Baroness Hale, and deputy president Lord Mance, and three new Justices, including Lady Black.

Once inside, the congregation heard a challenging sermon from The Right Reverend Michael Doe. Reverend Doe quoted Dostoevsky: ‘The degree of civilization in a society is revealed by entering its prisons’, and referred to the relationship of the law to sin/crime, grace and hope. He linked it to Prison’s Week (from 8 to 14 October); the imminent centenary of the Balfour Declaration (on 2 November) and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation (on 31 October). Sobering food for thought, indeed, for all those engaged in the justice system as they start the new legal year.

Opening of the Legal Year in Wales

Frances Edwards, CILEx council member and past president, writes:

The Opening of the Legal Year took place on 8 October at Llandaff Cathedral. The service replicates the service that takes place in Westminster Abbey for those concerned with the administration of law, albeit a smaller version. Nevertheless, those present included judges, barristers, solicitors and High Sheriffs wearing gowns, ceremonial robes and wigs. I represented CILEx, proudly wearing the CILEx Council gown.

Readings were given by the new Lord Chief Justice, Sir Ian Burnett; the High Sheriff of Gwynedd, Professor Hope; and the Presiding Judge of Wales, Mrs Justice (Dame Nicola) Davies. After a sermon by the Bishop of Llandaff, prayers were read by Alwyn Lloyd Ellis, Magistrate Bench Chairman. He read the prayers in Welsh, and ‘gweithredwyr cyfreithiol siartredig’, ie, ‘Chartered Legal Executives’ were included. As you might expect, the ceremony ended with the national anthems.