All Law Gazette articles in Archive – Page 1525
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News
Law firms warned on text-generated referral 'spam'
Law firms have been reminded to check the origins of referrals to ensure they were not generated by unwanted text messages, after investigations uncovered widespread anger at such ‘spam’. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said this week it is working with mobile phone networks to study ...
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News
Intellectual property
European Union - Patent - Supplementary protection certificate Medeva BV v Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks: Court of Justice of the European Communities (Fourth Chamber) (Judges Bonichet (President of Chamber), Prechal, Bay Larsen, Toader (Rapporteur) and ...
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News
Jurisdiction
Conflict of laws - Challenge to jurisdiction - Pre-trial or post-judgment relief - Freezing order Madoff Securities International Ltd and another v Raven and others: QBD (Comm) (Mr Justice Flaux): 25 November 2011 ...
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News
Keep an open mind
Edward Foster has assumed that in all mediations, or perhaps in most of them, the result is a 50/50 settlement. From 35 years’ experience of mediations as a solicitor, and 12 years’ experience as a mediator, I have to say that is simply not the case.
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News
Wrong presumption
Criminal practitioners should be aware that in January the Stop Delaying Justice Scheme will take effect. The aim of this apparently is to achieve disposal of criminal trials in two hearings - first appearance and trial date. In a letter to practitioners in London, the chief ...
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News
Sentencing
Principles of sentencing - Mandatory life sentence - Murder - Minimum term R v Gill; R v Eccles; R v Abu-Neigh: CA (Crim Div) (Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, Mr Justice Henriques and Mr Justice Irwin): 1 December 2011 ...
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News
Zero support
Jonathan David tells an all too familiar story about criminal legal aid in 2011. It gets more demoralising every day. Last week we represented a vulnerable client for child abduction. Two visits to the police station - over seven hours in all - for £180. That was the high point.
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News
The rainmaker’s bible
In drought conditions the term ‘rainmaking’ was commonly used by the American Indians who used magical powers to bring the rain to nourish the crops and feed the people - not unlike the current drought conditions that legal firms are experiencing in new instructions. Today a rainmaker is a person ...
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News
City judicial diversity forum has not met in two years
A group of top lawyers set up to help overcome barriers to City solicitors applying for the judiciary has failed to meet for almost two years, the Gazette can reveal. The group, part of a drive to improve judicial diversity, was also asked to find ways of encouraging more women, ...
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News
Filming will not turn courts into 'theatre', pledges Clarke
Justice secretary Ken Clarke (pictured) has insisted he will not allow courts to become ‘theatre’ despite allowing cameras inside for the first time. The government is planning to change the law to remove the ban on cameras in court, starting with the Court of Appeal and ...
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News
Pre-packs or the perception of pre-packs? That is the question
Pre-pack sales of the business or assets of companies entering administration have always been controversial. Depending upon your standpoint, they can be perceived and characterised as: 1. an effective means of ensuring the rescue of viable businesses and the saving of jobs; 2. a legitimate ...
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News
Roll up! - new EU funding for justice projects
In straitened times for most businesses, public money can be a welcome support. It is well-known that the European Commission offers millions of euros in funding for projects over a wide span of subjects. Some law firms and legal academics apply regularly for project-funding. The Commission’s Directorate General for Justice ...
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News
Getting the message on Twitter
Poison-pen columnists looking for a cheap shot can always rely on the ‘judges out of touch’ jibe. So it came as something of a welcome surprise to some to see the lord chief justice dealing firmly with the issue of Twitter in court last week. Not ...
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News
New governance accord agreed between Law Society and SRA
The Law Society has voiced confidence that new governance arrangements agreed with the solicitors' regulator will 'stand the test of time'. Chancery Lane was responding to the conclusion of a review by the Legal Services Board of the independence of regulation from representation at the approved ...
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Feature
BOOK REVIEW Trade Secrets for Marketing Your Business Online
Author: Simon Newsham We must not forget that it is only two decades since the rules governing solicitors and barristers were relaxed allowing for the profession to properly begin marketing themselves. The way that we do business has changed ...
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Late-night taxis to keep on running
The government has changed its mind about abolishing the tax relief for late-night taxis, so black cabs will keep on running for employees of law firms.
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News
Corporate clients open to instructing ABSs
General counsel in FTSE 350 companies are overwhelmingly open to the idea of instructing law firms that are externally owned. According to research based on replies from 51 businesses, 90% of general counsel said they ‘definitely would’ or ‘probably would’ purchase legal services from a firm which took external ownership. ...
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News
McNally tells Lords legal aid bill is in 'pristine' condition
Justice minister Lord McNally has warned campaigners they should not expect to see significant changes to proposed legal aid cuts. McNally, who is also leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, faced opposition to his government’s legislation from members on all sides ...
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SRA warning to legal aid lawyers
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has urged firms to take care with vulnerable clients and uphold standards even if legal aid cuts are in force.