New plans unveiled by the Council for the Judiciary (Rvdr) which are designed to enable digital litigation in civil and administrative law have been approved by the ICT Testing Office (BIT) and Sander Dekker, the Minister for Legal Protection. The new approach, known as the Basisplan digitaal procederen civiel en bestuursrecht (basic plan for digital…
American Bar Association report details impact of debt on law students
A new study conducted by the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association has revealed substantial and widespread levels of student debt and demonstrated a harmful effect on junior members of the profession in the US. The survey has found that: Over 75% of respondents had at least $100,000 in student loans at graduation…
New solicitor qualification regime approved in England and Wales
The SRA’s new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has been formally approved by the Legal Services Board (LSB). The new examination will be officially introduced in September 2021, with the first assessments for SQE1, the first part of the qualification, taking place in November 2021, and the first assessments for SQE2 taking place in April 2022….
Event: IBA 2020
2-27 November 2020 Online The International Bar Association is currently hosting its annual conference online. Organisers have said “The IBA 2020 – Virtually Together Conference will be the central event of the international legal community’s 2020 calendar as it presents a remarkable opportunity to exchange knowledge and to create and renew a global network of…
Law Council of Australia publishes webinar on implementing the ALRC’s pathways to justice roadmap
The Law Council of Australia has published a recording of its latest online webinar, entitled “Closing the Justice Gap: Implementing the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Pathways to Justice Roadmap”. Over the course of the event, the panel discussed a number of issues around access to justice, and the justice gap, including discussion around access to…
New York State Bar Publishes Independent Review of the New York State Court System’s Response to Issues of Institutional Racism
The New York State Bar has published the findings by the special adviser on equal justice, Jeh Charles Johnson. Over the course of the review Mr. Jonson conducted 96 interviews involving 289 individuals from across the state. This included interviews with judges, court clerks a range of practitioners within the system, and others involved in…
Bar Standards Board of England and Wales Releases Report on Bullying and Harrasment
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has released a new report commissioned from YouGov, looking at bullying and harassment within the profession. The qualitative study, was commissioned as part of the regulator’s ongoing programme to address the root causes of bullying, discrimination and harassment at the Bar. The report involved 35 telephone interviews with 30 barristers, and…
Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales Report on Better Information in the Legal Services Market
A new study commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has found a number of positive trends in public attitudes towards price transparency in legal services. The report was commissioned by the SRA to look into the impact of the rules, which have now been in place for a year. The rules included a requirement for…
Law Society of British Columbia to Widen Access to Legal Services
On September the 10th the Law Society of British Columbia elected to make changes suggested by a task force on modernisation established this January. The task force cited ongoing changes in the legal market, which have been accelerated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the pace of change in other jurisdictions, as to…
Law Society of Saskatchewan Makes COVID-19 Rule Changes Permanent
The Law Society of Saskatechewan has announced that the Government of Saskatchewan has repealed emergency regulations surrounding remote execution and witnessing of documents electronically and replaced them with permanent rule changes, which will extend beyond the period of public emergency. The rule changes come about in the light of the increased efficiency and lower cost…