Ghana investment boost

The Law Society will lead a trade mission to Ghana in September. Financial reforms have increased investor confidence and boosted foreign investment.

Complaints data

According to the Legal Services Ombudsman’s annual report, published this week, Zahida Manzoor’s office handled a total of 1,886 complaints against legal bodies. It upheld 415 against the Legal Complaints Service and 27 against the Bar Standards Board.

Bar slams BBC drama

The Bar Council has slammed the BBC drama Criminal Justice, which follows the story of a young man falsely accused of murder and shows barristers breaching conduct rules. ‘Criminal justice is not a game and it is a travesty to suggest that practitioners see it in that way,’ said chairman Tim Dutton QC.

Coroners’ safety brief

Coroners will have to notify local safety boards of all children’s deaths reported to them under new rules coming in to force this month. The interim measures – introduced as amendments to the 1984 Coroners Rules – also oblige organisations to respond within 56 days to coroners’ reports on action that should be taken to prevent deaths.

Parker appointment

The Bar Standards Board has appointed former Border & Immigration Agency Complaints Audit Committee chairwoman Dr Ann Parker as complaints commissioner. Parker also sits on the General Medical Council’s Fitness to Practice Panel, the Mental Health Review Tribunal and the Appeal Panel of the Postgraduate, Medical Education and Training Board.

Fraud lawyers group

Leading fraud lawyers launched the Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association this week. Chairman Steven Philippsohn said expert barristers and solicitors had ‘much to share’ in combating the ‘ever-increasing problem of international fraud’.

Solicitor honoured

Barry Speker, senior partner at Newcastle Upon Tyne firm Samuel Phillips, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to business and the community.