The research presented here focuses on the feasibility of developing access to legal aid through the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) scheme, by setting up and running ECF projects in university law schools. This report contributes to PLP’s existing research undertaken in partnership with university law clinics,1 which seeks to develop knowledge and understanding about the
Tribunals are a major part of the administrative justice system. The Government has begun to introduce digital procedures in tribunals but the full details of the changes remain to be seen. This report—commissioned by the UK Administrative Justice Institute—outlines ‘what we know and what we need to know’ about the digitalisation of tribunals. It takes
University law clinics are a developing tool for both legal skills-based education and academic education. As well as providing students with experience of law in action and a practical base for academic enquiry, law clinics are, and should be supported as, an important means of providing practical legal work experience; especially where they can provide
This guide is intended to assist welfare rights advisers and legal aid providers with a welfare benefits contract in determining where it might be appropriate to apply for Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) for your clients and to assist advisers in making successful applications for ECF. ECF is potentially available in a range of welfare benefits
PLP is concerned that by pressing ahead with court closures before allowing enough time for the modernisation programme to bed in and for evidence to be gathered and research conducted, the quality of access to justice will decrease. The effect on the appearance of justice being done also needs to be thoroughly considered and researched
On the 26 March 2018, PLP held its annual Wales Conference at Cardiff University, on the theme of Promoting Equalities for a fairer and more equal Wales. Below are some of the presentations and papers available from the day to share with you.
PLP welcomes the opportunity to provide evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into factors which may impede individuals from using the UK’s human rights framework effectively. Our submission addresses the question of access to resources and in particular the impact of LASPO on the ability of individuals to access the courts as
This guide is intended to assist legal aid providers in determining the cases where it might be appropriate to apply for ECF for family proceedings, and to assist providers in making successful applications for ECF. Most private family law proceedings were removed from the scope of legal aid by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment
Ahead of the Second Reading of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill in the House of Lords, PLP has prepared a short briefing paper for Peers highlighting three key issues with the Bill. PLP takes no position on the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. Our work around the EU (Withdrawal) Bill is intended to
The underlying principle is that a public authority’s objective should not be to win the case at all costs, but to assist the court in its role of ensuring the lawfulness of the decision under challenge, with a view to upholding the rule of law and improving standards in public administration. It must therefore fairly
It is often said that justice must not only be done, but be seen to be done. Given the sheer number of cases going through the courts, their physical inaccessibility to the vast majority of people, and the complex material relied on in the majority of cases, for justice to be seen to be done
This paper of regulatory case summaries accompanied the seminar 2017 which was an update on the application of judicial review principles to the regulators across a range of commercial sectors, and focuses on recent cases and also particular trends. Download paper