Wednesday 4 June 2014

The crunch (04/06/2014)

A round up of the best law and criminology related stories scouted daily.

Summary: This instrument amends the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013. Specifically it seeks to introduce the concept of the Advocate's bundle, the mechanism which payment of bundle bolt-on fees to advocates will be linked to in future rather than the court bundle. It also amends the definition of "advocate's meeting" to refer to the updated Practice Direction governing such meetings now in effect. To make these changes amendments are necessary to the Family Advocacy Scheme. (via Westlaw)

Summary:  The Civil Justice Council's costs committee, which was tasked with reviewing the guideline hourly rates (GHRs) in April 2013, has submitted its report to the Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson. GHRs have not been updated since 2010 but the committee warned at the start of its work that lawyers should not automatically assume the rates will go up. The report will not be published until Lord Dyson has had an opportunity to consider it fully and to decide whether or not to accept its recommendations. (via Westlaw)

Professionals face jail time for assisting offenders
Summary: Under measures to be announced in the Queen's Speech, solicitors and accountants who provide services to organised criminals whilst turning a blind eye to their clients' activities will face up to five years imprisonment under a new offence of "participation in an organised crime group". Offenders who fail to pay a confiscation order will face longer sentences and be barred from automatic release. (via Westlaw)

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