Expert witness plea

The Consortium of Expert Witnesses to the Family Courts has appealed to solicitors for feedback on the effect of fee cuts. The group believes there are already difficulties in obtaining access to qualified experts and has objected to lower rates of pay in London compared with the rest of the country.

Anglo-Scottish merger plan

Top-20 national firm Pinsent Masons has confirmed it is in cross-border merger talks with Edinburgh-based McGrigors. The combined firm would be a top-75 global practice, with 350 partners and 1,250 lawyers.

New drugs guidelines

The Sentencing Council published new guidelines on drug offences to come into force on 27 February. They set more severe sentences for large-scale importation and dealing to juveniles, but reduced sentences for drug ‘mules’.

Doctors advice group

Lawyers specialising in providing services to GPs have a new representative group. The National Association
of Specialist Solicitors Advising Doctors is chaired by Andrew Lockhart-Mirams, senior partner of London firm Lockharts. The group said GPs are coming under increasing ‘top-down’ pressure from clinical commissioning groups.

Richard Holbrook

Richard Holbrook, former chair of the College of Law management board, died on 9 January, aged 77. He qualified as a solicitor in 1960 and moved directly into education, teaching students for 20 years before chairing the board.

Juror jailed for contempt

The Divisional Court, headed by the lord chief justice Lord Judge, jailed a juror, Theodora Dallas, for researching information about a defendant on the internet.

Straw’s fee bill dropped

Former justice secretary Jack Straw’s attempt to make referral fees a criminal offence has failed. The Blackburn MP’s bill on motor insurance was not moved for debate last week and will not progress further.

Implant litigation

A group taking legal action on behalf of women fitted with PIP breast implants has now secured 1,000 clients. Mark Harvey, partner at national firm Hugh James, will this week make an application to the court for a group litigation order against private clinics.

Mediation ‘formulaic’

Mediation has become a ‘walk-through formulaic’ process with mediators lacking ‘enthusiasm and energy’, according to a survey of users in the claims and insurance sector. In soundings from 22 solicitors, loss adjusters, brokers and barristers, on behalf of mediation group Expedite Resolution, 15 said they had made savings using mediation, but half said they had problems finding a suitable mediator.