All articles by John Hyde – Page 336
-
News
Government denies plan for ‘wholesale privatisation’ of courts
The Ministry of Justice has denied it has plans for the ‘wholesale privatisation’ of the courts service – despite extra pressure from the Treasury to reduce spending..
-
News
LSB relies on regulators to see off DBA ‘mis-selling’ fear
The Legal Services Board will not introduce specific guidance for damages-based agreements
-
News
Jackson LJ to rule on his own reforms
Lord Justice Jackson is one of five High Court judges appointed to hear appeals arising from his costs reforms.
-
News
Don’t worry about Jackson fallout – judge
The High Court judge responsible for implementing the Jackson civil litigation reforms has made two speeches seeking to allay lawyers’ fears about the reforms’ impact. Speaking to the Commercial Litigation Association annual conference, Mr Justice Ramsey urged more ‘hot-tubbing’ of expert witnesses to improve the ...
-
News
Pilot aims to limit clinical negligence solicitors’ fees
Solicitors could receive as little as £500 for clinical negligence cases worth up to £25,000 in a proposed fixed costs pilot scheme drawn up by the NHS Litigation Authority. In a document prepared by the authority and seen by the Gazette, the terms of the fixed ...
-
News
Small business spurning legal services – LSB research
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. ...
-
News
International firms call off merger
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 ...
-
News
Fight PI changes, says MASS chair
A figurehead for the claimant personal injury sector has urged solicitors not to give up opposing further changes to the system. Craig Budsworth, chairman of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS), told today’s Manchester Law Society conference that the fight against increases to the small-claims limit ...
-
News
Poor will suffer from court fee changes, MoJ warned
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 ...
-
News
Insurers to revamp third-party code
Insurers are to rewrite a code of conduct on the practice of third-party capture of claimants, the Gazette can reveal. James Dalton, head of motor and liability at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said he wanted the voluntary code to be more robust and ensure ...
-
News
Where was the LASPO dissent?
I thought I was dreaming when I switched on my radio this morning. Three pinches and a cold shower later and I knew it was true: a legal aid issue was the headline new story on Five Live (the baby prefers Nicky Campbell to John Humphries). ...
-
News
Pannone turns to fixed-price mediation post-Jackson
Four out of five commercial disputes are capable of being resolved through fixed-priced mediation, according to a firm unveiling a two-tier service today. Manchester firm Pannone says it has responded to the Jackson reforms and the possibility of compulsory mediation with a service that settles ...
-
News
North-west paralegal initiative
A group of law firms has come together to create a paralegal apprenticeship, as financial pressures on the sector start to take effect. Nine firms based in the north-west have formed the Legal Sector Employer Skills Group to take on 100 paralegals, who start their apprenticeships ...
-
News
Will-writing could still be regulated
Will-writing could eventually be brought within the scope of regulation, despite the government’s spurning of the profession’s call to make it a reserved activity. Justice secretary Chris Grayling last week responded to the Legal Services Board’s recommendation for regulation by saying there was insufficient evidence ...
-
News
100 jobs at risk as BLP seeks 15% salary cost cut
City firm Berwin Leighton Paisner has confirmed it has put more than 100 London-based staff at risk of redundancy. The firm today announced it will consult on a redundancy programme affecting 58 legal staff and 44 secretarial workers. The firm aims to reduce salary costs by ...
-
News
End-to-end negligence defence practice sets up as ABS
The first multi-disciplinary practice dedicated to defending professional negligence claims has successfully applied to become an alternative business structure. Triton Global Limited will consist of niche defendant firm Robin Simon as well as claims management company Devonshire Claims and loss adjuster firm Walsh PI. ...
-
News
Midlands ABS issues ‘join us’ offer to insurers
A multi-service Midlands firm has used its new alternative business structure licence to issue a direct appeal to insurers to come on board with a joint venture. Shakespeares, a firm with 680 lawyers and staff across the region, said it was ‘ABS-ready’ and looking to team ...
-
News
Desperate PI firms breaking referral fee ban – AXA chief
Personal injury law firms are continuing to pay referral fees for cases weeks after the ban came into force, a leading insurer has alleged. David Fisher, claims technical manager for the UK’s fifth largest motor insurer AXA, told a parliamentary event that existing legislation is not ...
-
News
Wragge & Co takes axe to legal support jobs
Top-30 firm Wragge & Co has confirmed that up to 30 jobs could go after a review of its legal support services. The announcement was made after the firm’s board proposed a new structure for back-office functions. The new structure includes a ...
-
News
Government ‘ignoring’ calls for further RTA review
The government’s adviser on RTA claims has warned that ministers’ failure to heed his advice could lead to bad behaviour being incentivised. Professor Paul Fenn said today that the government had not acted on three key recommendations from last year’s review of the RTA Portal. ...