CONTACT : ACCESS TO JUSTICE ALLIANCE
c/o Legal Action Group,
242 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UN
Email: accesstojustice2005@yahoo.co.uk
c/o Legal Action Group,
242 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UN
Email: accesstojustice2005@yahoo.co.uk
news
19th May 2008
Steve Hynes, Chair of AJA and Carol Storer are taking part in 2008 London Legal walk to raise money for Access to Justice Alliance. If you'd like to make a donation please go to the link below. Remember any donation made via the webpage gets 28% tax relief. Please make your donation here.4th February 2008
Access to Justice Alliance and Legal Action Group have designed a survey to discover how easy it is for members of the public to get legal advice. The survey is aimed at clients (or lawyers or advisers on their behalf) and can be found on the Legal Action Group website.13th July 2007
As part of their continuing campaign against legal aid changes, Law Centres are holding open days across the country to discuss with politicians and members of the public how the proposed reforms of legal aid will impact on local communities. Read the Law Centres Federation press release12th July 2007
There is a debate in Westminster Hall on 12th July on the report of the Constitutional Affairs Committee on the implementation of the Carter Review of Legal Aid.The exact time is not yet known but please contact your MP and explain the importance of the issue.
22nd June 2007
Following the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee Report on the 1st May 2007, the government has produced a response to the recommendations in the Committee's report.In his statement 'Government Ignores Warnings' , Andrew Holroyd, Law Society vice president urges the government to take more time to 'devise a realistic plan to avoid irretrievably decimating access to justice'.
14th - 18th May 2007
The Access to Justice Alliance is calling on everyone concerned to contribute to the Week of Action from the 14th – 18th May. Read the full briefing.Events planned include:-
Monday 14th May 2007. Parliamentary Reception - Committee Room 14, House of Commons.
Alan Beith, Chair of the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee will speak at the meeting as will Karen Buck, MP.
Read the press release for full details
Latest planned events:
Tuesday 15 May - Central London Court - Demonstration The Central London Law Centre is co-ordinating activity outside Central London County Courts. For further information contact: Wilma Morrison on 020 7839 2998 or e-mail wilma@londonlawcentre.org.uk
Wednesday 16 May - Manchester - March and Demonstration
Law Centres in the North West are planning a march and demonstration to end at the Manchester Immigration Tribunal. For further information contact: Hazel Bayley - Bury Law Centre on 0161 272 0666 or e-mail h.bayley@burylawcentre.co.uk
Throughout the week: Demonstrations to be held outside local County Courts, tribunals and the Royal Courts of Justice. Can you help out by offering to co-ordinate a demonstration - it only needs to last an hour and we will put a handout on this site that can be printed off and passed to people going in and out of the court or tribunal. Can you contact your local press and invite them to attend with a photographer at a set time? Can you notify MPs about the week of action in advance and sent details of local coverage afterwards? If so please email us and we will contact you.
1st May 2007
Constitutional Affairs Select Committee Report published:"SERIOUS RISK FOR ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN LEGAL AID PLANS, SAYS COMMITTEE" Read the full report and press release.
19th March 2007
Carol Storer speaking on behalf of Shelter addressed the demonstration outside Parliament of the importance of the AJA.February, 2007
Alison Hannah of the Legal Action Group takes over as Chair of the AJA21st November, 2006
Carol Storer spoke at the Central London Law Centre AGM2nd October, 2006
AJA submitted its evidence to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee into implementation of the Carter Review.September/October, 2006
Speakers from the AJA spoke at the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat conferences. Kate Green from CPAG and James Sandbach from Citizens Advice spoke at the Conservative conference, James Sandbach spoke at the Liberal Democrat conference and Carol Storer at the Labour Party conference.10th September, 2006
An excellent panel of speakers contributed to the emergency public meeting held at the Friends Meeting House including Alison Hannah Director of the Legal Action Group, James Sandbach of Citizens Advice, Richard Miller of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, Ole Hansen of Ole Hansen and Partners, Vicky Guedalla of Deighton Guedalla and Immigration Law Practitioners Association and Lynton Orrett of the Black Solicitors Network.10th September, 2006
The Access to Justice alliance (AJA) is organising an Emergency Public Meeting on 16th September at Friends Meeting House.24th May, 2006
Campaigners concerned about the future of legal aid targeted Westminster to lobby Parliament for better access to justice. A mass lobby took place on the afternoon of Wednesday 24th May.Advisers, lawyers and people working in legal and advice services as well as users of the services from all over the country descended on Parliament to express their concerns about the current crisis in legal aid.
Later that day, there was a panel discussion in the Wilson Room at Portcullis House from 5pm to 7pm, where distinguished commentators Vera Baird QC MP, Oliver Heald MP, Simon Hughes MP, Steve Hynes Director of the Law Centres Federation and Alison Hannah of Legal Action Group debated the subject: 'A loss to the community - civil legal aid in crisis'. Carol Storer of the Access to Justice Alliance chaired the meeting.
26th April, 2006
Members of the Select Committee met with the new Minister with responsibility for Legal Aid, Harriet Harman, QC MP to discuss concerns.3rd March, 2006
Carol Storer Chair of AJA spoke at the Citizens Advice conference on Access to Justice.12th December, 2005
Sadiq Khan MP chaired a full meeting at which the speakers were the Minister Bridget Prentice MP, Oliver Heald MP Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, David Heath MP Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and member of the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet, Roy Morgan an experienced legal aid practitioner and Chair of LAPG and Carol Storer the Legal Services Manager at Shelter.11th December, 2005
Access to Justice Alliance (AJA) campaign pack is now available.7th November, 2005
Access to Justice Alliance (AJA) is organising a parliamentary public meeting on the 12th December 2005 in the Attlee Room at Portcullis House, London SW1A 2LW.The meeting will start at 6.30pm and will be chaired by Sadiq Khan MP. We have invited an all party platform of speakers, together with representatives of the AJA.
Please attend this meeting if you want your voice to be heard about this important issue.
9th September, 2005
See below for details of the Access to Justice Alliance fringe meetings taking place at the party conferences in September, including Lord Falconer in Brighton.Labour Party Conference
Sunday 25 September 2005
12 - 1.30 pm
Seasons Suite, Belgrave Hotel (Brighton seafront, corner of Middle Street)
Chair: David Kidney MP
Speakers: Lord Falconer QC, Vera Baird MP, Carol Storer (AJA)
Liberal Democrat Party Conference (meeting organised jointly with the Bar Council and Liberal Democrat Lawyers)
Monday 19 September
6.00 PM
Winter Gardens, Blackpool
Chair: Jonathan Marks QC
Speakers: David Heath MP, Guy Mansfield QC, James Sandbach (AJA)
4th July, 2005
On the 4th July 2005, we held a small-scale Parliamentary launch of the campaign at Westminster. The meeting was attended by several MPs and Lords and was addressed by, amongst others, the Lord Chancellor and DCA Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Bridget Prentice. We are working towards organising a larger parliamentary event including a co-ordinated parliamentary lobby - at a date to be announced. We will keep you informed of developments and will be asking for your support.Marsha Singh, MP, has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM 453) welcoming the establishment of the AJA, and calling on the "Government to take urgent action to restore funding levels adequate to ensure access to civil justice for ordinary people.
The Alliance will be represented at both Liberal-Democrat and Labour Party Conferences this autumn.
Look at the details of the Early Day Motion and whether your MP has signed up yet or not. If not, please contact them and urge them to sign up. If you do not know who your MP is, you can find out by ringing the Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272 or by using the constituency locator on the Parliament website.