All Law Gazette articles in Archive – Page 1518
-
News
Vicarious liability
Roman Catholic church - Liability for tortious acts of priest GE v English Province of Our Lady of Charity and another: QB (Mr Justice Macduff): 8 November 2011 The claimant ...
-
News
Quality marks must not ‘usurp’ regulators
The legal sector’s consumer watchdog has today warned that voluntary quality marks should not be made mandatory to access part of the market as this could ‘usurp’ the role of regulators. In a new report, the Legal Services Consumer Panel also called for such schemes to ...
-
News
Recruiting staff
We recently went through the process of advertising a vacancy. No really, we had an opening for another member of staff. We advertised online and in print. One of the main reasons to advertise a vacancy is really to advertise the firm. It tells people ...
-
News
Timely union
Obiter loves a lawyer wedding, and it’s all the sweeter when plans are based on a sound grasp of public policy and legal developments. Step forward TLT associate Peter Richards-Gaskin (pictured), who just got engaged to another City lawyer. The firm had thought it would ...
-
News
SRA will license ABSs by the end of 2011
The statutory barrier to the Solicitors Regulation Authority gaining a licence to authorise alternative business structures has been lifted. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice told the Gazette: ‘We expect the Solicitors Regulation Authority to become a licensing authority by the end of this year. ...
-
News
Lords revolt raises legal aid concessions hopes
Hopes are emerging that the government will amend at least some of its legal aid reforms after peers voiced overwhelming criticism at the bill’s second reading. The Daily Mirror reported last week that justice secretary Kenneth Clarke has ditched the proposal to remove legal aid for clinical negligence claims. ...
-
News
Does a VAT approach to pricing client services erode trust?
We all love to moan about budget airlines and their deceptive online pricing strategies for adding taxes, fees and charges. They are no longer allowed to keep taxes as an unpleasant surprise until the last moment when you are about to enter your credit ...
-
News
Brooke gets double in PI awards
Retired judge Sir Henry Brooke (pictured) won a double honour at the Personal Injury Awards last night. Brooke received the Lifetime Achievement Award to mark his 40-year career in law, as well as being named mediator of the year. Phil Shiner, from Public Interest Lawyers, ...
-
News
Youth Justice Board reprieved
The government has abandoned plans to scrap the Youth Justice Board. Its demise was outlined in the Public Bodies Bill as part of the government’s ‘bonfire of the quangos’, but the plan faced strong opposition in parliament, and had threatened to derail the passage of the ...
-
News
Human rights come home
You don’t expect good news to come out of the scandal of elderly people suffering abuse at the hands of their carers. Where’s the good news in the indignity of an elderly woman left stuck on the toilet because everyone was too busy to assist her? And how can good ...
-
News
Would a US-EU trade deal be good for lawyers?
I have written before about how the current economic crisis is leading to a radical rethinking of structures that impact on lawyers. Here is another initiative which could lead to significant consequences in years to come.
-
News
‘Alternative’ litigation funder to invest £100m in smaller-scale disputes
A new-style litigation funder seeking to invest in high volumes of lower-value commercial cases launches today. Caprica, which styles itself as an ‘alternative litigation funding company’, said it would make third-party funding available to a ‘much-expanded’ range of cases, providing access-to-justice for smaller businesses in ...
-
News
‘Few’ solicitors understand e-disclosure, says Jackson
Lord Justice Jackson has warned that ‘huge’ sums of money will be wasted if the legal profession gets electronic disclosure wrong. Delivering the seventh lecture on implementing his civil litigation reforms, the judge said effective training is ‘essential’ for solicitors, judges and counsel if the practice direction issued a year ...
-
Feature
BOOK REVIEW EU Law for UK Lawyers (second edition)
Author: Aiden O'Neill QC Aidan O’Neill has written a comprehensive and substantial work giving an overall view of the application of European Union law at the national level and clearly aimed at the busy UK legal professional who needs ...
-
News
DAS takes 'leap forward' in online legal push
Legal expenses insurer DAS has taken a step towards offering online legal services after buying web-based Everything Legal. The insurer, which has long held ambitions to become an alternative business structure (ABS), announced the acquisition of the Bristol-based company this week.
-
News
Legal aid cuts a ‘false economy’, warns Supreme Court justice
Supreme Court justice Lady Hale (pictured) has warned that the government’s planned legal aid cuts are a ‘false economy’ that will have a ‘disproportionate impact upon the poorest and most vulnerable in society’. Hale told the annual Law Centres Federation conference last weekend that while ...
-
News
Health and safety review shifts liability ‘onus’
Employers who comply with health and safety rules should not be held legally responsible for all workplace accidents, according to a government-sponsored review. Commissioned by employment minister Chris Grayling, the report recommends an end to strict liability for bosses and shifting the onus onto employee responsibility.
-
News
Deferring a minor’s entitlement to capital beyond 18
In Wright v Gater [2011] EWHC 2881 (Ch), Mr Justice Norris made some very helpful comments on the court’s approach to applications under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958 (VTA) which seek to defer a minor’s entitlement to capital beyond 18. This application was made on ...
-
News
Firms merge to create new £30m practice
City firm Sprecher Grier Halberstam has announced a merger with national firm Martineau after months of talks. The new business - SGH Martineau - will create a team of 360 staff members, of whom 200 are fee earners and 62 are partners. The two firms had ...