Headlines – Page 1438
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Insurer claims public will pay more if Jackson is implemented
The public will bear the brunt of increased civil litigation costs if Lord Justice Jackson’s report is implemented in full, a leading insurer claimed this week. Speaking at the Law Society Civil Justice Section annual conference, Dominic Clayden, director of technical claims at Aviva, said the ...
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Coodes unveils online legal service
A 263-year-old south-west law firm has stepped into the internet age by launching a new online legal service in preparation for competition from new entrants to the market. Devon and Cornwall firm Coodes, established in 1747, has set up Coodes Direct offering fixed-price legal advice, plus ...
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Some criminal advocates ‘not up to the job’
Research on how to assess standards of advocacy has backed up anecdotal evidence that there are problems with the quality of some criminal advocates, but found there is no significant disparity between the performance of solicitors and barristers. Professor Richard Moorhead of Cardiff Law School, who ...
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Solicitors ‘key’ to increasing judicial diversity
Persuading more solicitors to apply for judicial posts is ‘absolutely key’ to increasing diversity in the judiciary, the chairwoman of the Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity told the Gazette this week, as the panel published a raft of recommendations aimed at improving diversity on the bench. ...
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When life is worth more
I would like to comment on the letter of 11 February from Guy Otten of Hempsons, Manchester, headed ‘A licence to die’, [2010] 11 February, 13.
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Surveyors call the shots
As a chartered building surveyor of 40 years’ standing, my specialisms have been in the preparation of full building surveys (previously known as structural surveys) and what are known as ‘engineers reports’.
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With reply to Pat McFadden's 'Breaking the class ceiling'
I read Pat McFadden's article ‘Breaking the class ceiling’ (see [2010] Gazette, 11 February, 10) with interest and some frustration.
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Representing all
I would like to clarify an important point in relation to last week’s news story ‘Large firms in legal aid talks’ (see [2010] Gazette 18 February, 1) .
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Double jeopardy
Your report concerning the risk of court action arising from money laundering reporting (see [2010] Gazette, February 11, 1) highlights the invidious position of solicitors under the current legislation.
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Freedom of information: exemptions and vetoes
The tax status of the Conservative Party’s major donor and deputy chairman, Lord Ashcroft, has been the subject of much controversy and media headlines over the past few years.
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Committee proposes libel law changes
A parliamentary committee has proposed wide-ranging changes to the libel laws but rejected the introduction of legislation on privacy. The Commons Culture, Media and Sports Committee recommended that the Press Complaints Commission amended its code to include a new requirement that journalists notify the subject of ...
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Commercial reality
Richard Tinn appears to be accusing me of departing from the traditional values of our profession in suggesting that clients want fixed fees instead of time-based charging (see [2010] Gazette, 18 February, 11).
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Law Society wins top Business Superbrands award
The Law Society has been voted the strongest brand in the Association & Accreditation (A&A) sector of the Business Superbrands survey for the second year running. It was also ranked 75th overall out of the top 500 brands across all sectors, up from 118th last ...
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End of the training contract
Could a new holistic approach to training solicitors, being trialed by Northumbria University Law School in partnership with national firm Irwin Mitchell, be the future of legal education?
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Groundbreaking college scheme sidesteps training contract
Northumbria University Law School has joined forces with national firm Irwin Mitchell to pilot a groundbreaking scheme to train future lawyers. It now offers a full-time five-year Master of Law (Solicitor) degree, combining the academic, vocational and training stages of qualification as a solicitor, at the ...
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Commission proposes radical shake-up of social care law
The Law Commission has today proposed the most radical shake-up of adult social care law in 60 years. The proposals, uniting the provisions of 38 separate acts in one modern statute, aim to avoid red tape, delays and litigation. They will also save public money and ...
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CPS updates its code for Crown prosecutors
The Crown Prosecution Service has issued an updated edition of its code for Crown prosecutors to make it easier for the public to understand how decisions are made. The document, which follows a 12-week consultation, includes a clearer explanation of the public interest factors in making ...
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Is our fear of identity cards harming us?
Here is a topic to raise the blood pressure of every patriotic UK citizen. Whereas on the continent, benign democratic societies flourish with a population which carries ID cards, somehow it is thought that darkness will descend on the UK if ID cards are ever introduced.
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Regulation of estate agents ‘unnecessary’, says OFT
Solicitors have expressed disappointment that the Office of Fair Trading did not propose the regulation of estate agents in its home buying and selling report published last week. Despite representations made by many in the industry, including the Law Society, the OFT concluded there was ‘not ...
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Two solicitors charged in connection with £50m fraud
Two solicitors have been charged with multiple offences related to a series of high-value commercial mortgage frauds worth around £50m in total. Mark Knights of Cheshire, 45, who worked at Manchester firm Mace & Jones at the time the frauds took place, appeared today at the ...