News | Law Gazette

UK turns back on EU justice project

jmaher — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:10 +0000

The UK will decline to take part in a European Commission (EC) initiative to launch a ‘European justice scoreboard’ that aims to improve justice systems across the continent, justice secretary Chris Grayling told the House of Commons earlier this week.

LETR ‘delayed by regulators’

jmaher — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:10:01 +0000

The much-delayed final report of the Legal Education & Training Review (LETR) research team was completed on time and could have been published as planned in December 2012, but was stalled when the regulators insisted on a version three times the size of the original, the Gazette can exclusively reveal.

Publication date was subsequently moved to January 2013, but again was delayed until – possibly – May 2013.

International firms call off merger

jmaher — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:44:43 +0000

International firms Speechly Bircham and Withers today announced that they had dropped merger plans following almost two months of talks.

The firms said in March they had entered ‘preliminary discussions’ over creating a joint practice with more than 600 lawyers.

But in a statement released today, the firms said the management and partners had opted against continuing the talks.

‘Both sides have now concluded that a merger would not be in the best interests of both firms and have agreed not to pursue this further,’ said the statement.

Unanimous: profession votes for ‘training days’ action in protest over cuts

jmaher — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:25:02 +0000

In an unprecedented show of unity by the legal profession hundreds of barristers and solicitors came together yesterday to oppose the government’s proposed criminal legal aid cuts which they said would ‘destroy the fabric of the criminal justice system’.

Over 1,000 attended a London meeting dubbed ‘Justice For Sale’ organised by the Criminal Law Solicitors Association to oppose the planned £220m cuts to criminal legal aid, removal of client choice and introduction of price-competitive tendering (PCT).

Hundreds attend legal aid protest rally

jmaher — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:53:28 +0000

Over 500 lawyers attended a mass rally at parliament today to protest over criminal legal aid reforms which ‘strike a dagger through the British justice system’.

Gerry Conlon, one of the Guildford Four and Breeda Power, daughter of one of the Birmingham Six, were also present to warn of the threat of miscarriages of justice arising from the plans.

HMRC proposes crackdown on LLP ‘disguised employment’

jmaher — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:10:44 +0000

Some members of limited liability partnership (LLP) firms could face higher tax and national insurance deductions under government proposals for tackling ‘disguised employment’ published this week.

The consultation follows an announcement in the budget that the government would examine removing the presumption of self employment for LLP members.

A consultation document published by HM Revenue & Customs says: ‘There is evidence that LLPs are increasingly being used and marketed’ as ways to avoid taxes.

Small business spurning legal services – LSB research

jmaher — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:50:40 +0000

Just one in eight small businesses will turn to a solicitor to solve a legal problem despite many suffering financial loss as a result.

Research published today by the Legal Services Board found only 12% of legal problems resulted in demand for advice from solicitors’ firms. More than of half of respondents opted to handle legal problems on their own.

Just 5% of small businesses had an in-house expert and 8% had legal retainer contracts.

PCT will mean the death of Welsh justice, lawyers warn

jmaher — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:15:18 +0000

The government’s plans for price-competitive tendering (PCT) will have a ‘devastating’ impact on firms and chambers in Wales, leaving clients represented by English firms and without Welsh language provision, lawyers have warned.

Their concerns come as solicitors and barristers unite today staging a demonstration in Westminster before attending a mass meeting this afternoon dubbed ‘Justice For Sale’.

Welsh valleys merger

jmaher — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:18:41 +0000

South Wales firms Hughes Jenkins and Trevor Griffiths have merged to provide services throughout the South Wales valleys.

Nigel Jenkins, managing director of the newly merged firm, said: ‘Our two firms complement each other well and now enable the combined practice to offer a full and complete range of legal services to all our clients across South Wales.’

‘Poor-quality’ experts face cull

Experts whose evidence is ‘not up to scratch’ will be driven out of the family courts, in a new round of legal aid cuts announced by the Ministry of Justice.

Poor will suffer from court fee changes, MoJ warned

jmaher — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:10:09 +0000

Government plans to means-test waivers for civil court or tribunal fees could impact the most deprived and vulnerable sections of society, the Civil Justice Council has warned.

The advisory group of judges, academics and lawyers, chaired by the master of the rolls (pictured), said there were ‘many aspects’ of the Ministry of Justice proposals that caused concern.