All articles by John Hyde – Page 362
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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.
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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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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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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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Jackson reforms will 'encourage third-party funding'
A leading insurer has predicted that the Jackson reforms will encourage a flood of third-party litigation funders to enter the UK market. Peter Smith (pictured), managing director of after-the-event (ATE) insurance firm Firstassist, spoke this week after clinching the sale of the company by Equistone Partners (formerly Barclays Private Equity) ...
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Crisis, what crisis? Number of solicitors soars to all-time high
The number of practising solicitors hit a record high last month, despite the parlous state of the economy, according to figures released by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. By the end of November there were 125,473 PC-holders, a rise of 462 on the previous month and of ...
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Lord Judge clarifies Twitter stance
The lord chief justice today told media and members of the public they can ‘tweet as much as they please’ in court as he clarified the use of text-based communication. Lord Judge said the use of laptops and hand-held devices was an important part of open ...
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OFT probes impact of PI claims on motor insurance premiums
The Office of Fair Trading has launched an inquiry focusing on the effect of personal injury claims on steep rises in motor insurance premiums. Evidence gathered by the OFT and published today suggests that premium costs rose by 12% between 2009 and 2010, with a further 9% increase in the ...
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Government snubs call for further bans on referral fees
The government has rejected a recommendation from a commons committee to extend the ban on referral fees. A ban on receiving or paying fees for personal injury cases features in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders bill. It is set to come into law ...
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US funder buys up Firstassist in ‘aggressive push’
US dispute financier Burford Capital is to acquire UK legal expenses insurer Firstassist in a £10.3m deal to create a firm offering both after-the-event (ATE) insurance and litigation funding. Burford is one of the world’s leading financiers of litigation and arbitration and listed on the ...
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Justice streamlined – but 175 new offences in government’s first year
The Ministry of Justice insists it is making progress in streamlining the criminal justice system despite adding 175 new offences during its first year in office. In total the fledgling government department passed 33 new pieces of legislation in England and Wales in the 12 ...
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Legal Ombudsman eyes voluntary jurisdiction
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has launched a consultation on whether to introduce a voluntary complaints-handling scheme for unreserved work. Its latest business plan discusses the establishment of a ‘voluntary jurisdiction’ for areas of the legal market where providers currently outside its remit may want to offer customers access to redress ...
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ICAEW set to regulate ABSs
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has confirmed it is applying to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures.
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US backs non-lawyer investment, but rejects ABSs
The US’s leading legal governance body has taken a step towards allowing non-lawyers to hold a financial stake in law firms, but is rejecting English-style alternative business structures.
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Top 100 growing fast, Deloitte survey shows
The legal sector has been given a welcome boost after new figures showed a sharp rise in income among leading firms. The top 100 have reported an average revenue increase of nearly 10% for the second quarter ended 31 October. A survey by Deloitte showed that ...
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Charities reveal qualms about seeking legal advice
Charities understand little about the law but many are put off talking to a solicitor because of worries about cost, according to a major new study. The Legal Services Consumer Panel asked more than 800 small charities about their legal needs and experiences. Responses showed ...
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It’s madness to relax health and safety rules
If you haven’t heard of Stewart Lee, then search for him on YouTube and cancel all appointments for the next few hours. If you’re not laughing within 10 minutes, check you still have a pulse. My favourite routine of his surrounds his nan’s tale of her trip to the hairdresser’s. ...
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Peers target third-party capture
Peers debating civil litigation reform have called for a crackdown on the so-called ‘third-party capture’ practice of insurers approaching claimants directly. Four members of the House of Lords tabled amendments on the subject last week during the second reading of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment ...
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Strike action disrupts courts nationwide
Courts across England and Wales suffered disruption today as the public sector endured the biggest walkout for a generation. The Ministry of Justice said key services such as family courts and custody proceedings were prioritised following action by the PCS union. Picket lines appeared at ...