Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn denounced the myth of “fat cat lawyers riding the gravy train” and declared “l would not say that legal aid is an economic benefit, it’s a basic human right”, at the Voices for Justice rally in support of legal aid last week. Taking a break from his shadow cabinet reshuffle, he condemned court closures and the abolition of large areas of civil legal aid in 2013, calling the LASPO cuts “brutal”. Shadow justice minister Lord Bach is currently carrying out a comprehensive review of legal aid for Labour. The rally, organised by the Justice Alliance, was attended by prominent lawyers and campaigners. See further Jon Robins’s coverage of the rally.
14 January 2016
Corbyn slams fat cat lawyer myth
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams
Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant
Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias
International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner
Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven
Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth
NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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