Now that I am back up and running on this platform (Why would anyone hack your LinkedIn?!) a word on something we get asked a lot about from our colleagues in the legal community in Aberdeen. Legal Aid. Aberdeen is a legal aid desert for civil matters, as you will all know. We get multiple inquiries every day since clearly word is out that we do some legal aid. We couldn't even begin to take on all of the inquiries we get. As you will know, for complex matters, it is impossible to make legal aid pay reasonably compared with private client work. To make any sort of decent living from it, you would require to bust a gut. Or omit proper client care and communications in the case. Until the level of fees is properly addressed by the government, people will continue to go without representation, with all of the problems this causes for the courts dealing with unrepresented parties and the wider problem it has when people with a genuine need for representation go without it. I am thinking in particular where there is domestic abuse. There is no point in having remedies through the courts, and there is no point in having an Act to "deal with" domestic abuse if there is no access to justice on the civil side. Anyway, we do a bit, the bit that we can. We are most often at capacity in terms of legal aid we can reasonably take on. We have to be selective about what we do take on, when we have time. We don't (with apologies) want disputes over assets when your clients have ran out of money, having paid you. We simply can't justify doing things like relocations, or broadly anything of any significant complexity, because we couldn't find the time to do them justice. Since we do have bleeding hearts (yes, me too, honest!) if you have a case which is really deserving drop us an email to see how we are fixed. More often than not the answer will be no, I'm afraid, in which case (with apologies to Jenny Court!) it is CLAO or alternatively the Glasgow firms that we know are appearing regularly in Aberdeen now. Hopefully the penny will drop eventually, although I doubt it will be any time soon given where our criminal colleagues currently are.
Tom Mullen’s Post
More Relevant Posts
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Choice of counsel is foundational to legal aid services. With this new tool, Albertans applying for legal aid can find and request a specific lawyer more easily. Hundreds of Alberta lawyers who take legal aid cases have opted to be listed. https://lnkd.in/g5sFN3wm
Lawyer Directory assists Legal Aid Alberta clients in finding help faster - Legal Aid Alberta
https://www.legalaid.ab.ca
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It’s shocking that within a week Albertans may no longer have access to to Legal Aid, including duty counsel in courts. Legal Aid is fundamental in bridging the gap for access to justice in our province, and without access to their services - emphasis on even duty counsel - our legal system might face some serious issues. While access to justice doesn’t necessarily have to be provided in the form of Legal Aid, with no other system in place, this creates a notable gap for self-representatives who may struggle to navigate their rights without legal representation. It leaves our vulnerable population with virtually no form of legal assistance. This issue presents an opportunity for our legal system to evolve and better meet the needs of our population, but I am hopeful that it may also draw attention to the role Legal Aid plays in regard to the administration of and access to justice.
Governance Agreement Expiration - Legal Aid Alberta
https://www.legalaid.ab.ca
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An insightful look at how technology is bridging the access-to-justice gap in legal aid. 'Maximizing Efficiency and Equity' by Gwendelyn Daniels showcases the success of Illinois Legal Aid Online's 'Get Legal Help' platform. Daniels' article shares how innovative tech solutions can improve legal service delivery while addressing long-standing challenges in civil legal aid, and provides an important insight into the evolution of legal aid. Check out this, and other articles surrounding the intersection of Technology and the Law, in Volume 49, No. 4 of our Human Rights Magazine. Read HERE ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e2zvTyYQ
Maximizing Efficiency and Equity: The Success of the Get Legal Help Platform
americanbar.org
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Clinical Psychologist and Director of DGA, an expert witness and medico legal psychology service for family, criminal and civil law
As the civil legal aid consultation gets underway (finally) this article provides an interesting timeline of the history of legal aid and an overview if the main issues. #expertwitness #legalaid #familylaw #psychology
Civil legal aid: a review of its sustainability and the challenges to its viability
lawsociety.org.uk
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The Law Council welcomed the announcement that a Heads of Agreement has been signed for a new National Access to Justice Partnership, and strongly supports the focus on uplifting legal assistance services responding to gender‑based violence and achieving pay parity across the legal assistance sector. “This is a sector that has been chronically under‑resourced over many years, and we acknowledge the progress made towards a new agreement for the next financial year, which will provide much‑needed certainty to legal assistance services in the sector,” Law Council of Australia President, Mr Greg McIntyre SC said. The Commonwealth’s confirmed additional commitment of nearly $800 million over five years represents a substantial increase on previous years and will go some way to addressing key recommendations arising from Dr Warren Mundy’s recent independent review of the National Legal Assistance Partnership. However, after years of stagnant Commonwealth funding in this area, more is needed. “We applaud this significant injection of funding, and the Attorney‑General’s ongoing commitment to the cause,” Mr McIntyre said. “But it is not enough and falls well short of the amounts recommended. We strongly encourage the Commonwealth to continue to work with its State and Territory counterparts to build on this momentum and ensure that each of Dr Mundy’s recommendations is implemented in full. “More is required beyond today’s announcement to address key areas of identified unmet need within the legal assistance sector. This includes, for example, increased resourcing of legal aid commissions to expand current means testing arrangements and increase grants of legal aid to facilitate legal representation for some of our most marginalised members of society, especially in rural, regional and remote areas of the country. Read the full media release here: https://lnkd.in/gmRJ5JEr #auslaw #accesstojustice
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The Law Council is spot on the money. I am particularly pleased that Governments are committed to pursuing pay parity across the legal assistance sector and look forward to seeing how the new funding arrangements will address the differences in case loads and other terms of employment (such as remote housing) that many participants in my review identified. The additional funding is of course very welcome but funding arrangements remain opaque. Whilst acknowledging the incredible need to provide funding to protect women and their children in violent circumstances, it is concerning that Governments have continued the "throw money at the problem approach". One can only hope that a systematic, evidence approach focused on measured need and actual costs, such as that set out in chapter 7 of my report, will form the basis of the final agreement between the Commonwealth, states an territories What I also look forward to in the coming months is seeing how the new agreement with address the closing the gap targets (and especially targets 10-12) and the need for greater involvement in decision making and service delivery by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander controlled organisations as discussed in my report and recently by the Productivity Commission. But all in all, very good start, certainly much better than the response to the Productivity Commission's 2014 report, and at least Governments took up my recommendation to change the name!
The Law Council welcomed the announcement that a Heads of Agreement has been signed for a new National Access to Justice Partnership, and strongly supports the focus on uplifting legal assistance services responding to gender‑based violence and achieving pay parity across the legal assistance sector. “This is a sector that has been chronically under‑resourced over many years, and we acknowledge the progress made towards a new agreement for the next financial year, which will provide much‑needed certainty to legal assistance services in the sector,” Law Council of Australia President, Mr Greg McIntyre SC said. The Commonwealth’s confirmed additional commitment of nearly $800 million over five years represents a substantial increase on previous years and will go some way to addressing key recommendations arising from Dr Warren Mundy’s recent independent review of the National Legal Assistance Partnership. However, after years of stagnant Commonwealth funding in this area, more is needed. “We applaud this significant injection of funding, and the Attorney‑General’s ongoing commitment to the cause,” Mr McIntyre said. “But it is not enough and falls well short of the amounts recommended. We strongly encourage the Commonwealth to continue to work with its State and Territory counterparts to build on this momentum and ensure that each of Dr Mundy’s recommendations is implemented in full. “More is required beyond today’s announcement to address key areas of identified unmet need within the legal assistance sector. This includes, for example, increased resourcing of legal aid commissions to expand current means testing arrangements and increase grants of legal aid to facilitate legal representation for some of our most marginalised members of society, especially in rural, regional and remote areas of the country. Read the full media release here: https://lnkd.in/gmRJ5JEr #auslaw #accesstojustice
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📢 Exciting Announcement! 📢 Are you in need of legal assistance but facing financial constraints? We’ve got great news for you! 🤝 **Legal Aid Pro Bono week** 🤝 Join us for a special Legal Aid Pro Bono event aimed at providing free legal assistance to those who need it most. Our team of experienced lawyers and legal experts will be volunteering their time and expertise to help individuals and families in our community who may be struggling to access legal services due to financial barriers. 📅 **Date:** 20th March to 22nd March 📍 **Location:** university of Lusaka leopards hill campus At this event, you can receive guidance and support on a wide range of legal matters, including: - Landlord-tenant disputes - Family law issues (such as custody, divorce, and child support) - Immigration concerns - Employment rights and discrimination - Consumer rights and debt relief - And much more! Whether you’re facing a legal challenge or simply need advice on your rights and options, our dedicated team is here to assist you. No appointments necessary – simply drop by during the event hours and speak with one of our friendly volunteers. All consultations are strictly confidential, and there are no hidden costs or obligations. Spread the word and let your friends, family, and neighbors know about this invaluable opportunity to access free legal assistance. Together, we can make a difference in our community by ensuring that everyone has equal access to justice. Don’t miss out on this chance to get the legal help you need – we’re here to support you every step of the way! #LegalAid #ProBono #AccessToJustice #CommunitySupport
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Why it is hard to find a Mediator offering Legal Aid The government is carrying out a review of civil Legal Aid which includes Family Mediators. Family Mediators are covered by the Family Law category. Although 80 per cent of firms provide Legal Aid because it is ‘the right thing to do’, there are some worrying results: Half of firms say there is a higher demand than usual 60 per cent are dissatisfied with the civil legal aid sector 80 per cent are dissatisfied with the fee structure 60 per cent are dissatisfied with the way the Legal Aid Authority make decisions 65 per cent say that providing legal aid is not financially viable If there is no positive change 40% of respondents plan to leave or decrease their legal aid offering in the next year. If there is no positive change 80% of respondents plan to leave or decrease their legal aid offering in the next five years. #mediation #familymediation #divorcemediation #woking #surrey #legalaid
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I think Dr Warren Mundy’s observations a fair and helpful. From my perspective, the announcements from Anthony Albanese ‘s #NationalCabinet are hugely significant, particularly as they rightly describe #communitylegalcentres and other #legalassistance services as “absolutely frontline services for #familyviolence” with a major funding boost. They also addressed some of the major structural issues in funding, particularly pay parity and indexation - not exciting topics but crucial for delivering effective and sustainable ‘frontline’ services. The National Cabinet decision is clearly the first step, with Mark Dreyfus to lead negotiations with states and territories on the detail. While increasing budgets is always difficult - and we genuinely need the quantum in Dr Mundy’s report - true reform can be quickly addressed through the new #AccessToJustice #Partnership if it actively addresses all 39 of his recommendations. The time is tight with an expectation of an agreement this year. And while the #DreyfusDollars are now on the table, the states and territories also need to step up. We’ll be watching.
The Law Council welcomed the announcement that a Heads of Agreement has been signed for a new National Access to Justice Partnership, and strongly supports the focus on uplifting legal assistance services responding to gender‑based violence and achieving pay parity across the legal assistance sector. “This is a sector that has been chronically under‑resourced over many years, and we acknowledge the progress made towards a new agreement for the next financial year, which will provide much‑needed certainty to legal assistance services in the sector,” Law Council of Australia President, Mr Greg McIntyre SC said. The Commonwealth’s confirmed additional commitment of nearly $800 million over five years represents a substantial increase on previous years and will go some way to addressing key recommendations arising from Dr Warren Mundy’s recent independent review of the National Legal Assistance Partnership. However, after years of stagnant Commonwealth funding in this area, more is needed. “We applaud this significant injection of funding, and the Attorney‑General’s ongoing commitment to the cause,” Mr McIntyre said. “But it is not enough and falls well short of the amounts recommended. We strongly encourage the Commonwealth to continue to work with its State and Territory counterparts to build on this momentum and ensure that each of Dr Mundy’s recommendations is implemented in full. “More is required beyond today’s announcement to address key areas of identified unmet need within the legal assistance sector. This includes, for example, increased resourcing of legal aid commissions to expand current means testing arrangements and increase grants of legal aid to facilitate legal representation for some of our most marginalised members of society, especially in rural, regional and remote areas of the country. Read the full media release here: https://lnkd.in/gmRJ5JEr #auslaw #accesstojustice
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