Headlines – Page 1362
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Mid-tier firms appear set to fall further behind
The UK’s top 10 law firms have shaken off their hangover from the recession – but the chasing pack are still nursing sore heads, if recent numbers are anything to go by.
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‘Sluggish’ justice must be faster and cheaper
The criminal justice system is ‘sluggish’, stifles innovation, and is both fragmented and bureaucratic. Agencies including the Crown Prosecution Service need to share resources and innovate to shorten the time between arrest and sentencing, and increase the number of early guilty pleas. These are among ...
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The future is (almost) here
Last week I wrote about the role that automation could play in delivering legal services to the public, using products that firms of all sizes could buy in.
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Indemnity insurance bill falls to three-year low
Solicitors paid less to insurers for professional indemnity insurance (PII) this year than they did in the previous two years, Solicitors Regulation Authority figures revealed today. The cost of insuring the profession on the open market this year was £214m, down from £241m in 2009/10 and ...
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EU’s own Mama Grizzly
Forgive me for being a cultural slave of the US, but the US mid-term elections have coloured my thinking this week of developments here in Europe.
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Revenues rise at Allen & Overy
Half-year turnover at magic circle firm Allen & Overy have risen by 3% on last year, the firm reported today. For the six months ending 31 October, turnover at the firm rose to £526m, up from £511m over the same period in 2009. The firm said ...
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National Pro Bono Week gets under way
National Pro Bono Week begins today with events marking the donation of hundreds of millions of pounds worth of free legal advice over the last 12 months. Sponsored by the Law Society, Bar Council and Institute of Legal Executives, the NPBW highlights the broad range of ...
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Hammonds agrees latest transatlantic merger
Partners at national firm Hammonds and US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey have approved a merger of the firms, creating a 1,275-lawyer transatlantic practice with $625m (£387m) in combined revenues. The new firm, which will span 17 countries and 37 offices, will be named Squire Sanders ...
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Law Society warning over immigration cap proposals
The government’s immigration cap must be scrapped completely, or the international competitiveness of the UK will be damaged, the Law Society warned today. In a speech at the Policy Exchange thinktank, home secretary Theresa May confirmed that restrictions on highly skilled workers entering the UK will ...
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EMI case: the judge and the jury
The attention of the business and legal worlds was drawn to Manhattan this week, where private equity baron Guy Hands lost his law suit against US bank Citigroup. This was a jury trial before Jed Rakoff, US district court judge for the Southern District of New ...
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Family law
Ancillary relief – Discretion – Fairness – Foreign nationals Radmacher v Granatino Sub Nom NG V KR (pre-nuptial contract): SC (Lords Phillips (president), Hope (deputy president), Rodger, Walker, Brown, Mance, Collins, Kerr, Lady Hale): 20 October 2010 ...
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In the loop
Those concerned that the ‘pillar of the community’ image once enjoyed by the solicitors’ profession is now crumbling, like an ancient ruin, may be interested to read the findings of some research examining which lawyers have received the most press coverage in the last year. According to an analysis by ...
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Negligence
Health and safety at work – Local government – Breach of statutory duty – Risk assessments Steven Threlfall v Hull City Council: CA (Civ Div) (Lords Justices Ward, Jackson, Lady Justice Smith): 20 October 2010 ...
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Good boys in court
Probably the most fearsome judge I ever saw was Melford Stevenson, writes James Morton, but there again I never saw the Lord Chief Rayner Goddard, who was reputed to begin to pick his nose when he was bored and about to dismiss an appeal. Entering court, Stevenson would stand, ...
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Pre-nups in fashion
Following the widespread press coverage of glamorous heiress Katrin Radmacher’s legs – sorry legal case – in recent weeks, it seems the Manchester branch of upmarket department store Harvey Nichols has spotted an opportunity. Given that pre-nups are currently more fashionable than the ankle boot (as Obiter is given to ...
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Spell test
Legal aid minister Jonathan Djanogly does not have the easiest surname to pronounce. Indeed, in this electronic era, he must find much of his highly valuable time devoted to spelling out his email address letter by letter. But it has come to Obiter’s attention that many in the solicitors’ profession ...
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Corking correspondence
Obiter was tickled by a letter received by Nigel Spoor, a partner at Fairchild Dodds in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. He writes: ‘My day has just been considerably brightened by reading a response from solicitors to my enquiry on maintenance arrangements for an unadopted ...
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Costs liability on discontinuing a claim
It is not uncommon for a claimant to decide to discontinue his claim after he has issued proceedings. If this is done then clearly the costs consequences set out in Civil Procedure Rule 38.6 (1) will apply. CPR 38.6(1) provides: ‘Unless the court orders otherwise, ...