Links

GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIAL SITES Community Legal Service (CLS) /LSC The successor to the Legal Aid Board. Services Commission. It provide the widest possible access to legal information and advice. Its web site provides latest updates on seeking legal help, statutory materials, information about the commission newsletters, jobs, links, guidance and useful contacts. www.legalservices.gov.uk Department of Constitutional Affairs http://www.dca.gov.uk General Council of the Bar The governing body of the barristers’ profession in England and Wales. Their site outlines the role of the Bar Council, the profession, its activities, contact details, Bar directory, education and training, notices, conferences, direct access to barristers joining the inns and other useful and relevant links. www.barcouncil.org.uk Law Commission Their search facility provides the most comprehensive collection of UK Public Sector on-line information, including. information about different aspects of law, consultation papers, statute law, useful links, a library, law under review and a discussion forum www.lawcom.gov.uk The Law Society The Law society is the professional body for solicitors in England and Wales. Their premier legal web-site covers in depth about solicitors online, members directory, its European / international links, publications, education and training programmes, events, press centre, recruitment and A-Z content links. www.lawsociety.org.uk Lord Chancellors Department The Lord Chancellors department site is excellent site and the place to go for updates and discussion papers on proposals for legal change. A big site, which is not pretty to look at but fast to use, its strengths include, statute law database, the Civil Procedures Rules (CPR) in latest incarnation and a database of UK law is under construction. The LCD's home page deals with issues involving the criminal justice system, criminal matters, criminal reforms, the courts and the juries. The site also provides links to other government departments related to criminal matters www.lcd.gov.uk Crown Prosecution Service This site describes the work of the agency that initiates proceedings against those charged with criminal offences www.cps.gov.uk The Serious Fraud Office The site features reports on the Office's investigations, prosecutions, case notes, events and press releases. The aim of the SFO is to investigate and prosecute serious and complex fraud and so deter fraud and maintain confidence in the probity of business and financial services in the United Kingdom. www.sfo.gov.uk Civil Procedure Rules(Part of the LCD site) Provides comprehensive information on current versions of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998, Zip Format, commentaries in addition to the following; • Forms & Court Guides • Statutory Instruments • Consultation Papers www.lcd.gov.uk/civil/procrules_fin/index.htm Criminal Cases Review Commission The CCRC is an independent, body, which investigates suspected miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The site offers information about the commission, press releases, reports, management, solicitors, publications, applications, links and contacts www.ccrc.gov.uk Criminal Courts Review A body formed to review the practices and procedures of, and the rules of evidence applied by, the criminal courts at every level by the end of year 2000 The site hosts the texts of the home page, press notices, reports, contributions and contacts. www.criminal-courts-review.org.uk Criminal Justice System The Criminal Justice system CJS) in England and Wales comprises the crime related work of the criminal justice departments and their agencies. Its site includes the Home Office, LCD, the Law Officers' Department, the Court Service, publications and information available on the internet and search links. www.criminal-justice-system.gov.uk Home Office The Home Office is the Government department responsible for internal affairs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland providing information on: constitutional and community issues, crime, criminal justice, immigration, passports, complaints, press releases and legislation. www.homeoffice.gov.uk The Prison Service This excellent site not only gives comprehensive information about the whereabouts of individual prison establishments, but also provides very useful information about prisoners rights, categorisation etc. www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk Human Rights This part of the Lord Chancellor's site includes the text of the Human Rights Act 1998. It also contains information on the Rules and Practice Directions, speeches and press notices. www.lcd.gov.uk/hract/hramenu.htm Beagle: ECHR Web site The site contains issues relating to human rights, digests of latest ECHR cases, links to Strasbourg judgments, full HUDOC database, searches, links to Scottish law and House of Lords web sites. It also provides information to the LCD human rights page , about training courses and access to other relevant materials on the web. www.beagle.org.uk The ECHR site A very unfriendly site, but the definitive source for all ECHR rulings, press releases etc. www.echr.coe.int European Human Rights Directory Offers general information about the institution, case-law, information, notes, surveys, pending cases, judgments, official documents, publications, legislative activity and legal texts. www.echr.net United Kingdom Parliament Here you will find information about the United Kingdom Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, including access to Hansards and House of Lords judgements in full etc. www.parliament.uk Europa – The European Union Europa provides an access to information (press releases, legislation, fact-sheets) published by the European Union and its institutions: European Parliament, Council of the EU, European Commission, Court of Justice, Court of Auditors, Economic and Social Committee, Committee of the Regions, European Central Bank, European Investment Bank, Agencies and other Bodies. www.europa.eu.int/ Specialist Fraud Panel A specialist panel of solicitors was formally established by the Legal Services Commission in May 2000, in order to control defence costs in VHCC Fraud cases and to ensure the defendants receive quality representation from firms with expertise in managing such cases www.legalservices.gov.uk/criminal/contracting/vhcc_specialist_fraud_panel.asp National Criminal Intelligence Service NCIS works on behalf of all the UK's law enforcement agencies. It provides a range of intelligence products and services to aid the fight against serious and organised crime. www.ncis.gov.uk Metropolitan Police This site was established with the intention of making the workings of the Metropolitan Police Service more accessible. The Met use its website to inform the public of changes and developments in policing the capital and to provide an opportunity for the community to help in the task of tackling crime. www.met.police.uk Liberty Human Rights Liberty is one of the UK's leading human rights and civil liberties organisations. It was founded as the National Council for Civil Liberties in 1934 and has campaigned for equal rights for over 70 years. www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk HM Revenue and Customs HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the new department responsible for the business of the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise. www.hmrc.gov.uk/ Saul Lehfreund www.interights.org/pubs/11.asp REGULATORY INSTITUTIONS Financial Services Authority The FSA is an independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK and investigates and, where appropriate, disciplines authorised firms which have acted in breach of the rules or other Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) requirements. They also have various criminal prosecution powers, including powers to prosecute persons who engage in regulated activities without authorisation. www.fsa.gov.uk Department of Trade and Industry The Department supervises the operation of corporate affairs in the UK and is responsible for enforcing, and prosecuting company and insolvency law. www.dti.gov.uk