Mounting speculation on social media that the government may be about to abandon two-tier contracting for criminal legal aid lawyers led the Criminal Law Solicitors Association to issue a statement this week. Posting on the CLSA website, Zoe Gascoyne, CLSA president, said the Ministry of Justice have confirmed to her that they have not made a decision to stop two-tier and expect to roll it out in areas not subject to litigation in April. A judicial review brought by the Fair Crime Contracts Alliance is due to begin on 7 April, and a separate hearing into more than 100 procurement challenges is due to begin on 3 May.
21 January 2016
Two-tier or not two-tier
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly
Gateley Legal expands Midlands residential development team
Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees
Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees
Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron
Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes
NEWS
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
Employers cannot rely on wellbeing services alone to defend workplace stress claims after a High Court decision awarding almost £1m to an overworked employee
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE
The constitutional fallout from a change of prime minister, rather than the politics, is under scrutiny as questions arise over the limits of executive authority in a leadership transition
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