Legal aid focus

Planning to take part in this year’s London Legal Walk but not yet registered? Then it’s time to get a wriggle on! 

Rising numbers of cases, an increase in litigants in person and an overall lack of investment is piling pressure on the family court, the Law Society has warned

Pathfinder courts—renamed ‘Child focused courts’—are to be rolled out nationally, following a successful pilot where backlogs halved and cases were resolved up to seven and a half months faster

The Bar Council has joined the Law Society and CILEX in opposing Ministry of Justice (MoJ) proposals for a levy on interest earned on lawyers’ client accounts

A groundbreaking £3.9m grants programme using unclaimed money from a UK class action opened for applications this week

Peter Kandler’s honorary KC is long overdue recognition of a man who opened the law to those it once shut out, writes Roger Smith

Peter Kandler’s honorary KC marks long-overdue recognition of a man who helped prise open a closed legal world. In NLJ this week, Roger Smith, columnist and former director of JUSTICE, traces how Kandler founded the UK’s first law centre in 1970, challenging a profession that was largely seen as 'fixers for the rich and apologists for criminals'

The Ministry of Justice is once again in the dock as access to justice continues to deteriorate. NLJ consultant editor David Greene warns in this week's issue that neither public legal aid nor private litigation funding looks set for a revival in 2026

Will access to justice gain a much-needed boost in 2026? David Greene fears that the signs are not looking promising

Free legal advice services are on track to receive a £3.9m bonanza arising from the ‘boundary fares’ settlement