We'll have to wait until Spring 2025 to see what long-term solutions the Sentencing Review proposes to end the prisons crisis. But criminal defence firm Commons Law CIC has come up with one the government can explore right now. New blog from me: lawgazette.co.uk/commentary-and…

“Is this even real?” From a refugee camp to launching my own law firm, Dayton Rayleigh Solicitors. Thank you, Law Society Gazette, for sharing my journey from adversity to advocacy in immigration and public law. Read more here: lawgazette.co.uk/news/is-this-e… Monidipa Fouzder #RefugeesWelcome

"It takes a sisterhood to support women in law" - Baroness Harriet Harman at the Inspirational Women in Law Awards last night, where she was honoured with a lifetime achievement award. lawgazette.co.uk/news/solicitor…

For anyone who enjoys reading my articles and ramblings, you can also follow me on Bluesky now.

50: number of years South West London Law Centres has been going for. 1000s: number of people SWLLC helps every year. £33,569: SWLLC, which gets only 1/3 of its income from legal aid, will have to find when the employers NI increase kicks in next April. lawgazette.co.uk/news/law-centr…

The Legal Aid Practitioners Group (Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG)) have embarked on an important data drive so that it can hand the Ministry of Justice hard proof of the amount of time spent by legal aid lawyers on unbillable work: lawgazette.co.uk/news/data-driv…

"It is not about saving money. You are deferring the cost and indeed you are increasing it." The lady chief justice gave evidence to Justice Committee today and had a LOT to say about the impact of not letting the Crown courts sit to full capacity. lawgazette.co.uk/news/you-are-n…

Vacancy for a justice minister post going if anyone fancies it. Very long list of responsibilities includes courts, legal aid and civil justice.

In her second appearance before MPs, the lady chief justice offered a wide-ranging critique of the justice system, bemoaning curbs on sitting days and touching on digitisation, family law and diversity. Monidipa Fouzder reports ⬇️ lawgazette.co.uk/news-focus/in-…

This is such a fantastic new initiative: a menopause support network for the legal aid sector. lawgazette.co.uk/news/new-menop…

Justice committee live: Lord chancellor Shabana Mahmood gives evidence. Monidipa Fouzder reports ⬇️ lawgazette.co.uk/news/justice-c…

"We need to support each other and share experiences and ideas, and not just us but our clients." Thank you to Monidipa Fouzder in Law Society Gazette for highlighting this important new menopause initiative, launched at the recent Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG) conference.

Catch up on Monidipa Fouzder's live updates from this afternoon's justice committee: lawgazette.co.uk/news/justice-c…

Extra £££ for criminal legal aid. Bellamy review recommended minimum 15% fee uplift as "first step" in nursing sector back to health after years of neglect. Ministry of Justice says extra cash will take total fee uplift to 24% "over this parliament". gov.uk/government/new…

Total 24% fee uplift sounds like a lot. But MoJ says latest cash will take total fee uplift to 24% "over this parliament". Does that mean there won't be extra £££ down the line? Worth noting Bellamy recommended *minimum* 15% fee uplift as *the first step* in November 2021.

One of my legal aid stories has been picked up by the Canadian Lawyer magazine! *puts Canada on list of potential next holiday destination* canadianlawyermag.com/news/internati…