The guidelines are available to download from the Sentencing Council website here. Alongside the guidelines, they have also published a response to the consultation, and other related documents.
News Archive
REVISED BURGLARY OFFENCES SENTENCING GUIDELINES PUBLISHED – will come into effect on 1 July 2022
Full details here
REVISED SENTENCING GUIDELINES FOR CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES PUBLISHED – will come into effect on 31 May 2022
Full details here
LAA – verification of bids in time for the self-imposed deadline of 25th May
The CLSA is concerned about the announcement on 11th May from the LAA that appears to suggest that some firms who have bid to carry out criminal legal aid work from October may have to miss out on at least 3 months of work if the Legal Aid Agency are unable to verify...
ICPR – QUALITY OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN THE YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEM
Researchers from the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (ICPR), Birkbeck, University of London are conducting a survey. The survey is targeting criminal solicitors and is part of research that ICPR is undertaking in partnership with the charity Just for...
Your future – respond to the Government consultation on CLAIR
clair-government-response-consultation Sir Christopher Bellamy’s Legal Aid proposals (Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review) stated clearly that an immediate increase to Criminal Defence Fees of 15% was necessary to stabilise Criminal Defence firms and prevent a...
LCCSA & CLSA TRAINING DAY 25TH APRIL 2022
Criminal Legal Aid – A Sustainable Future? LEGAL AID CONSULTATION SURVIVAL TRAINING Book online here Doors open 1.45pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Further details here: LCCSA-CLSA-training-25April2022-A5-flyer-web
Guidance on undertaking advocacy during Criminal Bar Association ‘no returns’ action
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Guidance-on-CBA-action.pdf https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/criminal-justice/guidance-on-undertaking-advocacy-during-cba-no-returns-action?fbclid=IwAR3cqoUE74Xzc7rJmNWxgVMCSJtYTdm0fjFgGR5WePdU4EVNTo2TbTOSAa0
COVID-19 contingency response updates
COVID-19 contingency response updates Our COVID-19 contingency pages on GOV.UK are being updated as indicated below. We would appreciate it if you could communicate this to your members. Process restarts Amendments to end dates for live measures affecting numbered...
LCCSA & CLSA TRAINING DAY 25TH APRIL 2022
Criminal Legal Aid – A Sustainable Future? Doors open 1.45pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL For more details click here: LCCSA-CLSA-training-25April2022-A5-flyer-web
When is 15% not 15% ?
Click here to download (pdf) When the government announced that it was going to conduct an Independent Criminal Legal Aid Review there was the traditional, and well-earned scepticism around many in the profession who had experienced so many false dawns over their...
The Law Society Press Release – 29th March 2022
The Law Society Press Release - 29th March 2022 British justice is at risk after UK government assurances that its proposals on criminal legal aid funding matched the findings of an independent review turned out to be spin, the Law Society of England and Wales has...
Criminal legal aid lawyers are set for the biggest pay boost in a decade
Press release:From: Ministry of Justice Published 15 March 2022
Miscellaneous amendments to sentencing guidelines – response to the first annual consultation
The Sentencing Council will be making changes to a number of sentencing guidelines, following the Council’s first annual consultation on miscellaneous amendments . The changes are designed to bring greater clarity and consistency and reflect developments in...
TLS survey on priorities for early implementation of CLAR recommendations
Criminal legal aid review - proposals for early action (office.com) The closing date is 12th March 2022
The Economist – Feb 12th 2022 edition – Unless lawyers are paid better, courts will grind to a halt
Click here to read the article
On Wednesday 9th February 2022 CLSA Chair Daniel Bonich appeared at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid alongside the Legal Aid Minister James Cartlidge, CBA Chair Jo Sidhu and LCCSA President Hesham Puri.
Read below what he said : Thank you very much for the invitation to be here and it’s a pleasure and an honour to be here alongside some of our distinguished speakers. I have the immense honour of being the chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association. We...
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Legal Aid will be hosting a meeting on 9 February 2022 to consider the CLAR report
The Minister with responsibility for criminal legal aid, James Cartlidge MP, will be speaking along with representatives from a range of practitioner groups. Confirmed speakers: - Minister James Cartlidge MP - Stephanie Boyce , President of The Law Society - Mark...
CLSA Press Release 20 January – CBA ballot
CLSA Press Release CBA ballot We are aware of the CBA ballot having had a number of very constructive meetings with the CBA recently. These will be continuing in the coming weeks. We have much in common, and there is certainly more that unites us than divides us. We...
PROTOCOL UPDATE AND SEASON’S GREETINGS
First and foremost, the CLSA Committee wishes you all, members and non-members alike, solictors, barristers and those working in the Criminal Justice System a Merry Christmas, and in anticipation, a Happy New Year. Those good wishes include good health and so it is...