A glimmer of hope

The summer months are traditionally a quiet time for big news stories. Parliament is in recess and, aside from the rise and rise of Corbyn mania, continuing questions around Greece, and whether the prime minister will be sporting a wetsuit or pointing at a fish in this year’s holiday photograph, all seems to be pleasantly calm, relatively speaking. This could be a concern to the tabloid press, but in the legal profession it’s a blesséd relief.

After all, the build up to the general election in May was followed by a pregnant pause, as Michael Gove replaced Chris Grayling at the Ministry of Justice. Reform of the Human Rights Act was threatened and then postponed (hurrah) but still remains towards the top of Gove’s in-tray (boo).

What’s more, before a re-sculpted papier-mâché effigy of the new Lord Chancellor had time to set, it was made clear that any chance of turning the tide of legal aid cuts had ebbed away, along with the short-term hopes of access to justice for a growing number of British citizens, unable to secure the assistance they needed and still need in police stations.

Although dark clouds may be forecast for much of August, there is little light on the legal landscape for the autumn. But the light that is glimmering is something that will hopefully be worthy of our attention. The ‘creaking, outdated’ justice system is set for further reform. 

Gove has promised some money from his friends at the Treasury to invest and modernise the systems we have in place, which I am sure we can all agree, at least technologically, is long overdue. But this must be an investment, not at the cost of a slash-and-burn strategy to make fast savings by closing courts and alienating the solicitors’ profession with idle jibes about the quality of advocacy.

Despite well-publicised cuts, campaigns, and industrial action, the legal profession continues to be highly sought after by the most talented of students. With training contract application deadlines now passed, the difficult selection process starts once again. Key to many of the personal statements I have read in the past couple of weeks has been the commitment to pro bono advice through coordinated clinics.

The Lord Chancellor’s appeal to successful commercial firms to ‘contribute a little more’ to ensure a wider access to justice will perhaps sit well with aspiring lawyers, many of whom have been raised on the personal and community benefit that pro bono experience provides. What’s more, with many commercial firms reporting a return to rising profits, the levels of which have not been seen since the recession, popular public opinion may once again turn against the profession as a whole.

So, as we use any summer downtime we have to perform a late spring clean of our office and email inbox, catch up on any overdue expenses claims, and start with a clean desk in September, it may be worth taking some time to think about what we each do to support access to justice, the next generation of lawyers and ‘brand solicitor’. SJ

Kevin Poulter is SJ’s editor at large and a legal director at Bircham Dyson Bell

@kevinpoulter

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