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Rolling back justice (2)

05 August 2011 / Dr Jon Robins
Issue: 7476 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus , Costs
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Jon Robins investigates the latest challenges to hit clinical negligence lawyers

Clinical negligence lawyers and their clients find themselves squeezed by an uncomfortable pincer movement: on the one side they fear the full brunt of savage legal aid cuts and, closing in from the other side, there are the Jackson proposals. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill published in June threatens to both scrap legal aid for the victims of medical accidents and radically change the “no win, no fee” model by scrapping the recoverability of success fees and the after-the-event insurance.

Public Bill Committee

There was an interesting exchange in last week’s Public Bill Committee. Claire Fazan, a partner at the claimant firm Leigh Day & Co, cited the example of profoundly brain-injured children. People might assume that it’s easy for a specialist like Fazan to spot the minute that somebody walks into their office whether there is a valid claim. “I wish that was the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Quinn Emanuel—James McSweeney

Quinn Emanuel—James McSweeney

London promotion underscores firm’s investment in white collar and investigations

Ward Hadaway—Louise Miller

Ward Hadaway—Louise Miller

Private client team strengthened by partner appointment

NLJ Career Profile: Kate Gaskell, Flex Legal

NLJ Career Profile: Kate Gaskell, Flex Legal

Kate Gaskell, CEO of Flex Legal, reflects on chasing her childhood dreams underscores the importance of welcoming those from all backgrounds into the profession

NEWS
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
In NLJ this week, Ian Smith, emeritus professor at UEA, explores major developments in employment law from the Supreme Court and appellate courts
Writing in NLJ this week, Kamran Rehman and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper examine Operafund Eco-Invest SICAV plc v Spain, where the Commercial Court held that ICSID and Energy Charter Treaty awards cannot be assigned
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