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Law in practice

12 December 2014 / Robert Spicer , Polly Lord
Issue: 7634 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Robert Spicer & Polly Lord consider the current consequences of law

“The law in its majestic impartiality forbids both rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets and steal bread” (Anatole France, Crainqueville ).

“Law” is a word that is easy to spell but difficult to define. While its effects can be seen from shocking newspaper headlines rippling down through to our daily lives, it is hard to know exactly what law is in practice. The description of law is often given through explaining its consequences. If we look at the current consequences of law, however, the picture is not a happy one.

Price

Law has a price. For poor people, legal rights are largely illusory. They have no real application outside academic institutions and law firms which work for employers. A national network of Law Centres, funded by the state, would alleviate this state of affairs by providing poor people with access to free advice and/or representation.

Class

Law depends on class. Class

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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