All articles by John Hyde – Page 359
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News
Will the Dowlers make a difference?
Could this finally be the day that the government’s civil litigation costs reforms get the scrutiny they deserve? The letter sent by the family of Milly Dowler to prime minister David Cameron changes the picture completely. They claim that without the ‘no ...
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Olswang to pilot new training model targeting City firms
A groundbreaking solicitor training model has launched this week, targeting City law firms and in-house legal departments. The first non-legal services provider to be authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to take on trainees, Acculaw claims it will cut costs and improve efficiency for firms looking ...
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Medical accidents charity ponders judicial review bid
Opponents of the government’s Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill could launch another High Court challenge. Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) will decide this week whether to seek a judicial review to counter the removal of legal aid for clinical negligence cases. ...
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Bid to force ABS reform on US states
Final submissions will be made this week in a landmark legal action which experts believe could open up the US legal market to alternative business structures.
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Claimants will ‘never see’ ten per cent damages uplift
Government plans to introduce a 10% uplift on general damages have again been called into question, amid concern that they are reliant on the co-operation of insurers. The increase, recommended by Lord Justice Jackson in his review of civil litigation costs, was intended in part to ...
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Dundas & Wilson in merger talks
Edinburgh-headquartered Dundas & Wilson, one of Scotland’s so-called ‘big four’ law firms, has has begun merger talks with London-based Bircham Dyson Bell. In a joint statement released on Tuesday by the managing partners of each firm, the pair confirmed that talks have begun which may lead ...
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New solicitor training model could shake up the City
A groundbreaking solicitor training model has launched this week, targeting City law firms and in-house legal departments. The first non-legal service provider to be authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to take on trainees, Acculaw claims it will cut costs and improve efficiency for firms looking ...
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Clarke to promote UK legal services
Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke was preparing to update City lawyers on the government’s blueprint for promoting UK legal services abroad as the Gazette went to press. He was expected to reiterate the government’s opposition to European contract law harmonisation and reassure foreign markets that alternative ...
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Straw in line of fire over referral fee bill
Lawyers and medical experts have hit back at Jack Straw over comments he made yesterday while seeking to persuade MPs to criminalise PI referral fees. The former justice secretary introduced a ten-minute rule bill outlining proposals to make offering referral fees for victims’ details a criminal ...
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Bid to exempt Trafigura-type claims from reform fails
Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs have rejected an amendment to legislation that would exempt claims brought by foreigners against UK multinationals from civil litigation reforms. The Public Bill Committee debated the amendment to the Legal Aid, Punishment of Offenders and Sentencing Bill, tabled by Labour ...
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Clarke likens ABS revolution to financial ‘Big Bang’ of 1986
Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke has predicted that the advent of alternative business structures could have as dramatic an impact on legal services as the so-called ‘Big Bang’ of 1986 had on the financial sector. Speaking this morning at a conference on promoting UK legal services ...
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Government to ban referral fees in personal injury cases
The government has today announced that it will ban the payment of referral fees in personal injury cases. The Ministry of Justice said the current arrangements have led to high costs, encouraged a ‘compensation culture’ and led to the growth of an industry which pursues claimants ...
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Top firms sign up to new internship scheme
More than 20 leading law firms have signed up to a scheme that guarantees work experience for young people from less privileged backgrounds. The commitment, launched this week under the name of Prime, will see firms offer a minimum of 30 hours of work experience per ...
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News
Referral fee ‘witch hunt’ will ‘jeopardise thousands of jobs’
Ministers have been warned that banning personal injury referral fees will put thousands of jobs at risk and do nothing to reduce insurance premiums. Darren Werth, chairman of the Claims Standards Council, which represents claims management businesses, admitted he was shocked by the government’s announcement.
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Lack of detail in referral fee announcement
If the devil is in the detail, this government is starting to seem angelic. There was excitement unbounded in the newsroom on Thursday afternoon as the Ministry of Justice confirmed that referral fees will be banned for personal injury claims. But reading ...
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News
OFT probe of motor insurance welcomed by PI lawyers
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to investigate recent sharp increases in motor insurance premiums. The competition watchdog has issued a call for evidence over the next five weeks to provide a clear picture on the hotly disputed topic. The insurance ...
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Insurer blames solicitors’ fees for referral controversy
The head of claims at car insurance giant Admiral has claimed that solicitors’ fees are to blame for the continuing row over referral fees. The comments were made as claimant lawyers reacted with fury this week to new figures published by the Association of British Insurers, ...
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News
Call for changes to quality assurance scheme
The Law Society is to make a direct appeal to regulators to change details of the contentious Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA). Several solicitor-advocates have contacted the Society to register their concerns at the proposed assessment scheme. In particular, practitioners have ...
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Labour targets Lib Dems on legal aid bill
Solicitors have welcomed opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill tabled this week, but warned that debate on access to justice issues could be drowned out if MPs choose to focus on sentencing reform as a result of political priorities. ...
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Labour’s legal aid bill amendments fail
Opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill have been rejected by a committee of MPs. The Legal Aid Committee has voted to turn down a series of changes put forward by Labour to the bill. Opponents wanted ...