the Friday Freelancer! monthly email bulletin.
Content is updated regularly here (as is availability on www.freelanceadvocacyservices.uk)
Greg Foxsmith COURT AVAILABILITY:-
I won my GBH trial at Inner London this week, and remain undefeated so far this year, so book me while I am on a roll! I have limited availability next month, then free later in the year- see here. book via gregfoxsmith@msn.com or 07980846330
NEWS
Top Freelancer THERESA HENDRICKX has returned to freelance court and police station work, available for cases in North London five days a week during office hours. Theresa can
be contacted by text or call on her mobile on 07949243949 or by email theresahendrickx@outlook.com
Papers can be sent to theresa.hendrickx@itn.cjsm.net.
Theresa says “I am very much looking forward to returning to the ‘coal face’ and working with you in the future and would be grateful if you would forward my details to other colleagues in your firms.”
Stealthing. Removing a condom may remove consent. Sandra Paul explains all
Vote for Justice. Two years ago this week lawyers organised a Vote for Justice rally as part of a general campaign to encourage candidates to pledge to support Justice and Legal Aid. Read about it here. It’s unlikely that Justice issues or legal aid will feature in pre-election coverage this time round. The Green Party are the only party with a manifesto commitment to reversing Legal Aid cuts.
Legal aid Funding: Cuts/AGFS/LGFS The MOJ say nothing will now happen in terms of a Government response to the consultation until after the election
Truss out? According to “the Brief” (email legal update from the Times) Truss’s position in a post-election Conservative government appears increasingly shaky as even The Sun cast doubt on Her survival chances. It is not Truss’s ability to irritate the legal profession that has reportedly landed her in disfavour with the prime minister, but that Theresa May is “growing impatient with Ms Truss over the ongoing crisis in prisons“. According to comments posted by online readers. “Liz Truss needs to go election or not. Truss is weak as water and her job requires someone with a spine.” A better placed source may be as reported here in Legal Cheek
Closure of Hammersmith Court After a consultation where everyone consulted objected to court closure, the MoJ decided
to close the Court anyway. There are now some :defence engagement” meetings, where they will explain the transitional arrangements, as follows:-
Monday 8th May 2017 at 16.00 in Court Number 8 (Hammersmith)
or
Tuesday 9th May 2017 at 16.00 in the Advocates’ Room (Westminster)
The understanding at present is that from 12/6 YC goes to HCYC.
· Probation, breaches, traffic, DV, NGAP and GAP all go to Westminster.
· Trials and overnights remain at Hammersmith until end July, thereafterto Hendon.
· Decommission of Hammersmith set for Aug.
Prisons Update Well done Mark Troman for attending a crisis meeting on behalf of LCCSA about the difficulties securing prison visits, particularly at Scrubs. I hear:-
HMPS plan 3 new remand centres at Wandsworth, Highdown, Belmarsh. All other prisons, including Scrubs will no longer be remand prisons.
Wandsworth will have 20 new VL suites. There is a list of prisons that might close and plans to build new ones. Scrubs and the Ville on the list to close. At least one will close.
Not going to have lunchtime VL slots despite prior requests. Unions refuse.
Defence are not going to get VL access at Scrubs as things stand.
In Memoriam RIP former Labour MP and solicitor John Fraser. He qualified as a solicitor at the age of 26 and became, in effect, what was once known as “a poor man’s lawyer”, working in Peckham for the leftwing firm Lewis Silkin. Fraser was particularly prescient about the damage being done to social relationships on the streets throughout London by the misuse of the so-called “sus” laws, under which anyone could be stopped for allegedly behaving suspiciously. Two years before the riots in Brixton in 1981, he unsuccessfully introduced a private member’s bill in the Commons to abolish these laws, asserting that the offence was “largely responsible for the enmity felt by many young black people towards the police”. He believed that both public cooperation and the reputation of the police would gain as a result. It was only after the riots, which Fraser believed were a direct result of police practices alienating the black community, that the Thatcher government abolished the controversial legislation.
Self defence in Dangerous Driving – case of Riddell
Boycott The Breakfast club Highbury Corner Magistrates Court and Blackfriars Crown Court will be piloting early morning sittings and late finishes from May.
Read the detail here on the LCCSA website
Or coverage in the Islington Gazette here. Sign a petition here
There was a protest outside Highbury court -see coverage here (photo above)
Defence lawyers were not consulted about the pilot. The LCCSA are canvassing opinion -so far overwhelming opposition, and calls for a boycott-but do please share your views. .
Charity Some of you know I am passionate about mentoring. I have recently been involved in setting up a mentoring charity in Islington. That was easy-the hard work is securing funding. Maddy (one of our volunteers and a fellow trustee) ran the Paris marathon -her first- in our first fund-raiser. She wrote an amusing blog about the experience-and her motivation- here.
Last Sunday of course was the London Marathon- well done to Jim Skelsey (BSB solicitors) running in memory of his Dad for the Stroke Association.
The London Legal Walk is next month-good luck to all taking part, including Kerry and the Bullivants team! Let me know if you are also taking part.
Lawyers of the Month April – Ben, Rhona and Sashy ( Of new law firm “Commons”)
Ben Studdert, Sashy Nathan and Rhona Friedman have set up a new “not for profit” law firm Commons. They are “Putting social justice at the heart of legal practice” and boast an impressive array of qualifications and credentials, as well as a Legal Aid Contract. Like any new firm they are building up their case-work, so please consider referring them clients and conflicts. Commons can be contacted on info@commons.legal or 020 3865 5403
Colin Wells Of 25 Bedford Row.was last month’s winner -check out his text “Abuse of Process” ,
Sincere best wishes to Ronnie Jaffa (25 BR) on his retirement!
A list of lawyers of the Year2016 is here, and here is a 2015 list,