As law centres and CABs across the UK begin turning away those seeking advice, an independent commission will investigate how cope with deep cuts to legal aid at a time of complex benefits reforms. The Low Commission, named after its chairman, Lord Low, was launched last Monday. Meanwhile, Lord Bach led a rarely-used "fatal motion" in the House of Lords to reject a draft order stemming from the controversial Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act. It was an embarrassing defeat for the government, as was the polite reprimand from the Council of Europe over its delaying tactics on prisoner votes.
Meanwhile, should people who do terrible things stay in prison until they die? Or, to put it another way, are whole-life prison sentences an infringement of human rights? As three British lifers (convicted murderers Douglas Vinter, Jeremy Bamber and Peter Moore) launch an appeal at the European court of human rights, Simon Hattenstone and Eric Allison weigh the evidence.
Former lord chancellor, Jack Straw, has admitted that Labour's reforms on judicial appointments, although designed make the system fairer, have actually made it more difficult to fast track women and ethnic minority candidates. Joshua Rozenberg reports on Straw's belief that efforts to move away from the "tap on the shoulder" arrangement went "too far".
Lord justice Leveson may be enjoying the sun in Australia, but is watching UK developments "with interest". Giving a speech on privacy and the internet, he said that new laws were likely to be needed to protect people's privacy online. Meanwhile, Ben Emmerson QC responds to Shami Chakrabarti's suggestion that compulsory statutory regulation of the press could breach human rights. He doesn't agree:
Arguments such as the one that has been attributed, I hope wrongly, to Shami in the Mail on Sunday are the sort of nonsense that gives human rights a bad name with the public. The European convention is not there to protect the powerful interests of media barons, or profits of newspaper owners obtained by committing criminal offences. It is my clear view that the legal opinion attributed to Shami is wrong as a matter of law. In fact, it is the very opposite of the correct legal analysis.
JOBS OF THE WEEK
Solicitor on the Migrants' Law Project, Islington Law Centre
Employment & contracts adviser, Incorporated Society of Musicians
Solicitor, Action on Hearing Loss
YOU MAY HAVE MISSED …
Cambodia court hearing Khmer Rouge trials close to bankruptcy
Royal baby mania provides fillip for succession law
Bradley Manning lawyer: soldier's treatment a blemish on nation's history
Turkey turns to human rights law to reclaim British Museum sculptures
BEST OF THE WEB
Invisible advocacy: Matthew Ryder QC for Legal Cheek gives his best tips for prospective barristers
William Burke-White for The Atlantic on the unprecedented case of Simone Gbagbo: a wife accused of war crimes
Tom de Castella and Gerry Holt for the BBC on how judges decide prison sentences
FINALLY
We're pleased that the Disability Law Service is one of the charities in the Guardian and Observer Christmas appeal this year. Amelia Gentleman spent a day at their "shabby basement" in east London:
Before he begins his afternoon session, offering legal support over the phone, solicitor Douglas Joy remarks that he often finds his work harrowing. It's quickly obvious why. Within the next hour he offers calm advice to two mothers, who are both so distraught that at times they struggle to speak.
Funding for their work - legal advice for disabled people and their carers on discrimination, employment, welfare and care payments - is falling, just as demand rockets. If you would like to donate, you can do so online here.
Have a good week,
