The Ministry of Justice and Courts New Zealand has outlined a Close Contact Scheme for critical justice sector workers in close contact with COVID patients. Workers who cannot execute their work remotely will be allowed to continue their work if they apply for the Close Contact Exemption Scheme as long as they: are fully vaccinated…
Mandatory use of the Civil Online platform for simple procedure claims now permanent in Scotland
The system makes it mandatory for agents or party litigants to file their simple procedure claims directly via the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (“SCTS”) Civil Online platform, or by using the internet interface to the SCTS case management system. This process was brought in to mitigate the risk of face-to-face contact throughout the COVID-19…
Research shows a majority of solicitors in New South Wales hope changes to legal practice will remain in place
Research commissioned by the Law Society of New South Wales in Australia shows a majority of solicitors hope changes to legal practice brought about by COVID-19 remain in place. Respondents note that the move to remote delivery of legal services has brought a net benefit with the vast majority of solicitors in NSW hoping to…
Supporting the health and wellbeing of Black attorneys in Illinois
The Commission highlighted the long-held stigma of seeking help for mental health, as well as the daily microaggressions, the residual affects of intergenerational trauma and overt acts of racism as being unique stressors for Black attorneys. Dr. Arline Geronimus coined the term “weathering effect” to evoke the emotional erosion that comes with the constant stress of racism….
The Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales is consulting on proposed changes to its wellbeing standards
The consultation, running from the 4 March – 27 March follows increased concerns about the level of stress solicitors are experiencing as well as reports of bullying and harassment. The consultation addresses two key issues: The SRA has seen instances of serious, unfair and inappropriate treatment in the work place. There has been an increase in…
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Ireland has launched an online survey for newly qualified solicitors and barristers
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Ireland has launched an anonymous survey to capture the views of solicitors and barristers who have qualified since 2014 and have chosen not to practice. The aim of the research is to uncover the economic and other barriers faced by newly qualified barristers and solicitors. The…
The Law Society of Hong Kong is currently formulating a proposal to introduce its planned common entrance examination
The Law Society of Hong Kong is proposing the introduction of a new entrance examination, which would ensure that newly admitted solicitors studying different postgraduate law courses have all met the same academic standards on admission. Reform of legal education in Hong Kong was reported here in the ICLR newsletter in 2017, in comments by…
The National Association of Law Placement in the USA has reported diversity to be at an all time high
On 12 January 2022 the National Association of Law Placement released its annual Report on Diversity in US Law Firms. The report announced significant gains in the diversity of new entrants into the legal profession in 2021. Summer associates showed the highest level of diversity amongst all groups of lawyers, with people of colour growing…
Nederlandse Orde Van Advocaten, the Dutch bar, has set up a taskforce to increase support for lawyers facing risks of being used by organised crime
Nederlandse Orde Van Advocaten has set up a taskforce to better protect those working within the legal profession against threats from organised crime and illicit finance. The taskforce aims to increase the rule of law, awareness of the legal profession and improve the security of lawyers by increasing their resilience and improving safety measures. This…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales issues guidance for law firms on workplace culture
The Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales has issued guidance for law firms on workplace culture. The new resources aim to improve the work environment experienced by solicitors and their employees and create healthy working practices moving forward. The new guidance coincides with the release of data from the SRA’s review into the work…