Legal Blogging Goes Boom!

There is indeed a veritable explosion of legal blogs (blawgs, twegals and other twaddle). Until not so long ago it has been quite an isolating experience combining practice at the bar with a slightly more creative approach to writing, particularly one that involves expressing a personal view (Typing “IMHO” is contrary to a barrister’s most [...]

SOUND OFF FOR JUSTICE GOES VIRAL

. This video is EXCELLENT. Do watch it. And do pass it on. It’s important stuff (but then you know that already). It really does bring home one impact that Ken Clarke’s legal aid cuts will have if implemented. An announcement is expected from the government in the next few weeks, so help spread the [...]

LAG & Law Society Call for Draft Legal Aid Bill

LAG and the Law Society have today written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Justice Kenneth Clarke calling on the government to publish its proposals for the reform of legal aid as a draft bill to be scrutinised by a special joint committee of the House of Commons and the House of [...]

Munro Review

The Munro Review has been published here. I have yet to read it, but understand it proposes the removal of “red tape” to enable social workers to focus on the needs of children and on outcomes rather than process. Pointless regulation ought to be chopped, but it’s as well to think about why the regulation [...]

Booker Booby Prize

John Bolch at Family Lore has pointed out this judgment in whichTelegraph journalist Christopher Booker is subject to some strongly worded criticism from HHJ Bellamy. It is worth reading in full. I will not post substantively on it at present, owing to pressures of work and because Adam Wagner at UK Human Rights Blog has [...]

Dogma v Law

I have been contemplating tackling the issue of religious discrimination and the role of the advocate in such cases, with an eye on the barrister often at the centre of such cases Paul Diamond. I had been mulling over how best to approach the topic, having heard Mr Diamond on Radio 4 some time ago, [...]

Wikio Rankings

For those new to the world of legal blogging Wikio’s top 20 is a good place to start. There are a few I had not been aware of, and a few old favourites. A few goodies are notably absent, for example the illustrious Charon QC but this I suspect is because he is allergic to [...]

Foster Carers as Witnesses?

I see from Community Care that Childrens’ Minister Tim Loughton thinks that judges placing “great store” on the views of Guardians is “an odd way of doing things”. He suggests that it would be far better if foster carers were able to give evidence about a child’s needs. I couldn’t agree more. If you ignore [...]