Walking for Justice 2017

On Tuesday last week, I was proud to be part of the 6^th Liverpool Legal Walk. About 150 of us from Law Firms, big and small, walked 5k around the centre of Liverpool. I have to say, it was a very pleasant walk around the city. It really has been transformed beyond recognition over the last few years. And the rain kept off!

The highlight of the event was however to see the efforts of the walkers to raise much needed funds for legal charities.

The walk was organised by North West Legal Support (Trust) which exists to provide funding for agencies which provide free legal advice for those who cannot afford it. This is a sector which has been under pressure for the last 5 or 6 years. Many of them were dependent on funds raised via legal aid contracts. Most of these were ended by the government in 2013. This left what can only be described as a waste land –

http://thestevecornforthblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/access-to-justice-waste-land.html

The effect of this is that thousands of ordinary people have been left with legal rights that they cannot enforce.

This point was made by the Supreme court in the recent case concerning the introduction of tribunal fees. Lord Reed said –

‘Courts exist in order to ensure that the laws made by Parliament, and the common law created by the courts themselves, are applied and enforced. That role includes ensuring that the executive branch of government carries out its functions in accordance with the law.

In order for the courts to perform that role, people must in principle have unimpeded access to them..’

It is also a point I have made on this blog over and over again!

I have been involved in this walk since the start. It is fair to say that there was some hesitation at first. Why should the legal profession be raising funds for legal advice which should be properly funded by the government? That was, and still is, a fair question. But in the meantime, peoples’ fundamental rights are at risk. There is now no alternative to doing all we can, whilst at the same time campaigning for change. Liverpool Law Society have supported the event from the start and John Ballam is the latest President to walk for justice. We were also well supported by the Women Lawyers Division.

We were very pleased to welcome the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Malcolm Kennedy. At the end of the walk, as we enjoyed a well-deserved drink, he commented that lawyers do not always get a good press! He went on to thank all of those who had given up their time to help secure justice for those in greatest need in Liverpool and across the North West. It is often overlooked that the drive to fight for justice is what led many to become lawyers in the first place. Another well known face was actor, Michael Starke - known to us all as Sinbad from Brookside!

So thank you to all of our walkers. We will be back again next year – and we will continue until we are no longer needed. 

I fear I may be on my zimmer by then!

www.stevecornforth.com