Transform Justice, is a national charity working for a fair, humane, open and effective justice system. We are working with police forces around the country in order to improve their use of diversions and out of court disposals, with the aim of getting more crime...
News Archive
A new tool to support sentencing in the Crown Court
New tool to support sentencing in the Crown Court The Sentencing Council is providing a new tool to support the process of sentencing in the Crown Court. SentencingACE allows judges to make a quick, ready-reckoner style check of the sentence they intend to impose. It...
PROTOCOL UPDATE – Friday 17th December 2021
Click here to download a copy Like all of you, members and non-members alike, we have been concerned about the rise in COVID rates beyond an already awful 50,000 cases (of Delta) per week. Much has changed in the last 2 weeks. As Donald Rumsfeld once said : “as we...
CLSA Press Release – Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid – 15 December 2021
CLSA Press Release-Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review-15 Dec 2021 Today the government had published the long-awaited report by Sir Christopher Bellamy into Criminal Legal Aid. The Criminal Law Solicitors Association would like to thank Sir Christopher for his work...
Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid – Sir Christopher Bellamy
clar-independent-review-report-2021 Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review 2021 Annexes
Sentencing Council: Publication of Sentencing guideline for importation of firearms offences
The Sentencing Council has today published, in accordance with section 120 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, a new definitive guideline to be used by the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts in England and Wales when sentencing importation of firearms offences. The...
Have your say: criminal law firms’ capacity to manage the court backlog
The Law Society has launched a short survey to get some information about the capacity of criminal law firms. https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/criminal-justice/have-your-say-criminal-law-firm-capacity-to-manage-court-backlog To inform our conversations with the...
Crime Contract 2022 tender FAQs
Information for organisations interested in delivering face to face Criminal Legal Aid Services from October 2022.
Sentencing Council strategic objectives 2021–2026
The Sentencing Council is launching a new strategy today that will shape our work for the next five years. The strategy follows a public consultation we held to mark our 10th anniversary in 2020. Sentencing Council strategic objectives 2021–2026 identifies five...
2022 Crime Contract Tender Launch – 19th October 2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crime-contract-2022-tender
NOTICE OF CLSA AGM Friday 12 November at 13:00 via Zoom
Book your place here I hereby give notice that the Annual General Meeting of the Criminal Law Solicitors' Association will be held on Friday 12 November at 13:00 via Zoom CLSA Hon. Secretary AGENDA 1. Apologies for Absence 2. Treasurer's Report and approval of Annual...
BBC File on 4 – Coercive Control – Survey
Our friends at BBC Radio 4 have asked whether our members can assist with an important survey on how the criminal justice system treats those who have been the victim of coercive and controlling behaviour. They would be grateful if members could help them with their...
New sentencing guidelines covering modern slavery and trade mark offences commence on 1 October 2021
New sentencing guidelines for modern slavery offences and unauthorised use of a trade mark come into effect on 1 October 2021. Modern slavery offences The first sentencing guidelines for offenders convicted of modern slavery offences including slavery, forced labour,...
Joint Interim Interview Protocol between the NPCC, CPS, TLS, CLSA & LCCSA – Version 4 – October 2021
National Interview Protocol COVID19 Version 4 UPDATE ON INTERVIEW PROTOCOL Since the start of the pandemic your committee has been hard at work campaigning for a safe way for our members to continue to offer access to legal advice to those at a police station. Our...
LAA webinars on accelerated measures – please claim your fees
The LAA is concerned that only around 45% of advocates and around 42% of litigators are claiming the fixed fee for considering unused material (for 0-3 hours work) in eligible cases, despite the fact that claiming this fee involves only 3 clicks on CCCD, and there...
DISCOUNTS ON WHITE BOOK
Your CLSA Committee are pleased to announce that we have managed to secure a 15% discount with Sweet & Maxwell for the 2021 Edition of the White Book. We hope this will be the first of many such discounts and we will send details of other offers in due course....
Sentencing Council: Publication of Sentencing guidelines for modern slavery offences
The Sentencing Council has today published, in accordance with section 120 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, definitive guidelines to be used by the courts in England and Wales when sentencing modern slavery offences. The new guidelines will come into effect on 1...
New guidelines to sentence trade mark offences published
The Sentencing Council has today published, in accordance with section 120 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, new definitive guidelines to be used by the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts in England and Wales when sentencing the offence of unauthorised use of a...
More courts reopen in boost for justice
Scores of Crown Court rooms to reopen across the country now restrictions have ended Temporary ‘Nightingale Court’ rooms extended into 2022 Meanwhile ministers unveil plan to cut crime and build safer communities Full details here
UPDATE TO MEMBERS
As ever, your CLSA Committee have been hard at work for you over the last year, and we know that each and every one of you has done the same in these unprecedented times where were it not for our hard working members burning the candle at both ends, the system would...