Legal aid
Legal aid is responsible for providing legal services in the United Kingdom. Legal aid as the name implies can simply be defined as a non-profitable legal body for the provision of legal services to those that cannot afford legal representation in court. Legal aid was introduced to the United Kingdom after the Second World War to provide services of lawyers to people who could not afford it in the state. The legal aid is controlled by the (LSC) LEGAL SERVICE COMMISSION and it helps over two million people a year.Tim Dutton the chairman of the bar council in 2008 stated “in much the same way that the national health service has been held in high regard, we should be proud that our legal aid system was been considered one of the best at providing justice for the most vulnerable and needy in our society”. . The legal aid helps in civil and most criminal cases. Personal injury cases are often dealth with under conditional fee agreement. And the mc libel case broght about legal aid in defamation cases.
Legal aid was established in by the LEGAL AID AND ADVICE ACT 1949.The legal...
People are represented in court by two kinds of lawyers, court-appointed lawyers and public defenders, which mean "hired lawyers" (Green, 2001). People that have higher income can hire their own lawyers. The lower and middle-income people are mainly the ones who rely on court appointed lawyers. These people don't have the money to hire a lawyer. Court appointed lawyers are not working in your best interest for many reasons.
According to the Legal Aid Society (2016), a fair hearing
Paralegals are continuing to assume new responsibilities in legal offices and perform many of the same duties as attorneys. Through formal education, training and experience, paralegals have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and law procedures, which qualify them to work under the supervision of an attorney. Along with preparing legal documents, contracts and other legal materials, a paralegal can also interview witnesses, and conducting legal research. The most important task a paralegal may have is helping an attorney prepare for hearings, trials, and meetings. Although a paralegal is trained to perform the same tasks as attorneys, they are explicitly prohibited from carrying out duties considered to be within the scope of the practice of law, such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, submitting signed documents to court, and presenting cases in court. Paralegals are an essential part of today’s legal practice; furthermore, a competent paralegal can improve a law office’s profitability and the delivery of legal services. With these new responsibilities comes a higher level of demand and respect. In turn...
For many people, Legal Aid is the only option to defend their cases. In an Australia Institute report, ‘Justice for All,’ it is estimated that, out of 1.7 million Australians encountering legal problems each year, nearly a third will not receive legal advice due to financial reasons and lack of knowledge. Although Legal Aid is a valuable and useful resource, it is only available to the those on the lowest income, due to the lack of funding from the government. Also, Legal Aid lawyers often don’t have enough time to adequately talk to their clients about cases, making it difficult to present an in-depth case. This lack of funding forces people to take the case into their own hands, which is mostly unsuccessful due to the complicated mechanisms of the legal system. These faults in the system make the courts less effective in achieving
A Florida Registered Paralegal is a person who is qualified and has gone through training, education and work experience to work under the supervision of a lawyer. He or she is there to help the attorney with drafting documents, legal research, legal investigations, contacting clients, and interviewing clients. The bill says that the requirements of the bill are “the person has to have prescribed education and experience, and have the prescribed certifications”. In order for a person to be eligible to be a Florida Registered Paralegal they have to have met one of the following education and work experience. They have to have a bachelor’s degree in paralegal plus a minimum of one year of paralegal work experience or a person can have an associate degree plus a minimum of two years of paralegal experience. There has been a lot debate over the bill some people think the bill is helping the paralegal while others think it’s just a
Firstly, as barristers are professionally bound to accept a brief, the cab rank rule promotes access to justice by ensuring legal representation is available to all, including the undesirable client or the unpopular cause. This ensures equality before the law and allows clients to be represented by a barrister of their choice. As the choice belongs to the client, not the lawyer, this improves the quality of legal representation available. It promotes the ideal of service for t...
In the United States, the adversarial system of justice relies on ensuring a criminal defendant receives a fair trial. The sixth amendment gives defendants the right to legal representation in criminal trials even if they cannot afford one themselves. Each city and county in the United States ensures a defendant the right to counsel. There are different ways cities and counties across the United States provide representation for indigent defendants. One such approach to indigent defense is public defender programs and is a popular system used by many states today. Public defender programs have been around since the 1900’s but gained popularity throughout the years due to the many indigent defense cases.
Today, more law students are doing pro bono work than ever; a LawWorks report (2014) shows that about 70% of UK law schools offer legal services
They are not qualified to represent clients in court, in legal advice, accept cases, or set a fee. Paralegals do what the attorney tells them to. They have a wild range of different tasks they do. It is the paralegal’s job to locate and conduct interviews with and maintains general contact with the clients and witnesses, as long as they are clear that the paralegal works under the supervision of the attorney. Another task is conducting investigations, statistical, documentary and legal research. Paralegals also draft legal documents, summarize depositions, testimony and interrogatories. Also they attend executions of wills, court hearings, trails, depositions and real estate closings with the attorney (Nala.org,
My major is Paralegal Studies and I expect to graduate with an Associates of Arts degree in December of this year. Many years ago, as an investigator for both a private company and a county agency, I was introduced to the legal field. Recently, I was awarded the opportunity to attend college, so I decided I wanted to reenter the legal profession as a paralegal. The paralegal profession appeals to me, because I enjoy the processes of developing a case, as well as its legal aspects. A paralegal is involved in a case from the beginning to the end; from the initial client interview to assisting the attorney during the client’s trial or the settlement process. My goal is to become a paralegal for a solo practitioner or a small firm in my local area who represent clients in different areas of the law.
Paralegals are a crucial part of the criminal justice system. They are some of the hardest workers in the legal system, yet are sometimes underappreciated. It seems as though being a paralegal can stressful, exhausting, and overwhelming, but many find this worth the stress because they are challenged to solve problems, think creatively, and are making a difference and improving the lives of others. Overall, paralegals perform a range of duties that make them a vital part of the justice system, and though this job is stressful, it has benefits as well.
Some call me argumentative- I prefer the term dialectical. It is true, I enjoy debates more than the average person. Nothing compares to the thrill of triumphantly dispelling an opponent’s case and swaying an audience to my side. On top of that, I have a sincere appreciation and talent for writing, reading comprehension, and grammar. With these attributes, I feel destined for a career in law. Yet, it is more than just my personal tastes that have led to my interest in legal services. Growing up with a disorder, I have developed empathy for people with disabilities and a desire to help them by advocating for their rights. As a lawyer, I hope to take action to make the world a better place to live in for people with conditions similar- and maybe not so similar- to mine.
Definition: Legal assistants, also known as paralegals, are a distinguishable group of persons who assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services. Through formal education, training and experience, legal assistants have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and substantive and procedural law which qualify them to do work of a legal nature under the supervision of an attorney. (www.NALA.org)
Law is one of the most important elements that transform humans from mere beasts into intelligent and special beings. Law tells us what is right and wrong and how we, humans, should act to achieve a peaceful society while enjoying individual freedoms. The key to a successful nation is a firm, strong, and fair code of high laws that provides equal and just freedom to all citizens of the country. A strong government is as important as a firm code of law as a government is a backbone of a country and of the laws. A government is a system that executes and determines its laws. As much as fair laws are important, a capable government that will not go corrupt and provide fair services holds a vital role in building and maintaining a strong country.
Motus, G. W. (2009). Introduction to Basic Counselling and Communication Skills: IOM Training Manual For Migrant Community Leaders and Community Workers. Geneva: International Organization for Migration.