I1L2T3 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 People will be encouraged to take out BTE ('before the event') insurance to cover possible future legal costs. For every £2 in premiums insurance companies will make £1 profit. The Tories have received millions in donations from the insurance industry over the last decade Ministers promote insurance industry I've had to pinch myself reading this. It's so brazen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 You're partly right. Legal aid cuts are only half of it. The Jackson reforms, which I could bore you about for ages, will also see conditional fee agreements (the agreements that were called no win no fee) effectively removed and replaced with a lesser version. If you don't have BTE cover, you will need an insurance premium (ATE - after the event) which you will have to pay for our of your damages. Whatever people's views of various types of claims, no one can dispute there are some (no matter what percentage you hold that to be) claimants who are at no fault and deserve compensating. Those people will be harshly affected by this. The reason I say you're partly right is that all these cuts were proposed by the last government, and have just been followed through by this one. We've been aware of them for a few years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 You're partly right. Legal aid cuts are only half of it. The Jackson reforms, which I could bore you about for ages, will also see conditional fee agreements (the agreements that were called no win no fee) effectively removed and replaced with a lesser version. If you don't have BTE cover, you will need an insurance premium (ATE - after the event) which you will have to pay for our of your damages. Whatever people's views of various types of claims, no one can dispute there are some (no matter what percentage you hold that to be) claimants who are at no fault and deserve compensating. Those people will be harshly affected by this. The reason I say you're partly right is that all these cuts were proposed by the last government, and have just been followed through by this one. We've been aware of them for a few years now. Labour may have proposed reforms but absolutely nothing like what will happen if the bill is passed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Labour may have proposed reforms but absolutely nothing like what will happen if the bill is passed. I remember when they were first proposed (as a lawyer we have to keep up on these things). They've not changed at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 I remember when they were first proposed (as a lawyer we have to keep up on these things). They've not changed at all. Link please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Link please Were I able to send you all our internal emails and comms from work, I would. We've dealt more with Jackson's changes as I work in PI, which isn't affected by legal aid (which isn't called legal aid anymore by the way). I will have a look at them tomorrow and send you links to the law society gazette and JPIL articles if you like. You'll appreciate no doubt I can't copy emails sent internally at work. You might like to make it political, which I suspect is your mission here, but it's not. It's about denying justice to people, regardless of which party "started it". Here was Jackson's first report in December 09 - http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8EB9F3F3-9C4A-4139-8A93-56F09672EB6A/0/jacksonfinalreport140110.pdf Long reading but might be of interest, particularly as it was before the coalition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I remember in fact that when the government changed, we were all very optimistic that the tories would bin the ideas completely. Sadly they didn't and went ahead with them unchanged, although they're pushing back the legal aid changes to 2015 I hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Were I able to send you all our internal emails and comms from work, I would. We've dealt more with Jackson's changes as I work in PI, which isn't affected by legal aid (which isn't called legal aid anymore by the way). I will have a look at them tomorrow and send you links to the law society gazette and JPIL articles if you like. You'll appreciate no doubt I can't copy emails sent internally at work. You might like to make it political, which I suspect is your mission here, but it's not. It's about denying justice to people, regardless of which party "started it". No, I'm not making it political. I know Labour wanted to make some serious reforms and bring the LA budget under better control and better target the funds. If Labour had wone the election they would be making cuts too, absolutely no doubt about it. What I'm speechless at is the promotion of the commercial insurance replacement by ministers and the cynical withdrawal of legal aid from middle earners, i.e. those who may have the ability to afford the BTE insurance. Like I said brazen, and not the same as what Labour would have done as their resolute opposition (along with many LibDems) to the bill, on technical points rather than the idea of making cuts, amply demonstrates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wednesday1 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Doesn't really surprise me. Let's hope the voters kick the Lib Dems even harder for allowing the Cons to reward their wealthy backers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 It's a wonderful idea! (Not!!!) "Let's give justice only to those who can afford to buy it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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