The legal forecast is pretty gloomy, with the occasional sunny spell, says Roger Smith
No doubt about the big legal issue of the moment: cuts to legal aid and the problems of public funding. Events have not been without humour. The Socialist Workers Party turned up with a stall and helpful banners to support the demonstration of lawyers outside the Ministry of Justice. It turns out that “the first thing we do is we kill all the lawyers” is a Shakespearian quote rather than a Marxist doctrine.
Justice committee
The grand panjandrums of the legal profession were summonsed to the House of Commons Justice Committee to give evidence on the latest government proposals for cuts to legal aid. The most impressive was Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, the Law Society president, who has considerable experience of legal aid in mental health cases. Luckily for the Bar, its current leaders are less plummy than some in the past. Michael Turner QC, who actually started in law centres, led for the Criminal Bar Association and Maura McGowan, current chair of the Bar as a whole, is also
