All articles by John Hyde – Page 370
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News
No win no fee agreements are blamed for rise in medical negligence claims
No win no fee agreements have been blamed for a sharp rise in the number of medical negligence claims. The Medical Defence Union says claims increased by almost 20% in 2010 after several years of stable figures. More than half of the ...
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News
BLG announces profits boost
City firm Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) has this week announced significant end-of-year profits. The firm recorded a 17% increase in turnover for 2010/11, and saw profits rise by 35% across the board. That figure took into account performance in both the ...
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News
Legal Walk raises £500,000 for advice centres
Legal workers came out in force across the country yesterday for this year’s Legal Walk. More than 5,000 people joined in the event on Monday evening to raise £500,000 for free legal advice centres in London. The Gazette acted as media ...
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Onside Law advises on Ryder Cup
Sport specialist firm Onside Law has taken a major role in the destination of one of golf’s biggest tournaments. The firm advised on all aspects of the bid process to host the 2018 Ryder Cup, with a decision expected to be announced tomorrow. ...
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Hogan Lovells facilitates deal to save fashion group
City firm Hogan Lovells has helped to facilitate a deal to save fashion chain All Saints and secure hundreds of jobs. The firm has advised Lloyds TSB on its ongoing financing of the company, which was this week bought by private equity investors Lion Capital and ...
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SRA urges solicitors to report rivals' malpractice
Solicitors are being urged to ring in and report any rival local firms they suspect of wrongdoing. The Solicitors Regulation Authority said doomed business plans drawn up by rogue firms are taking millions of pounds from the compensation fund, and ruining the reputation of the legal ...
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News
If Question Time can give prisoners a voice, should government too?
You can picture the scene inside the BBC’s creative team meeting. ‘How can we boost the figures for Question Time next week?’ asks a producer, as he munches on a humus and taramasalata pitta on a bed of Guardian pullout pages. ‘Nick ...
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News
Supreme Court rules on miscarriages of justice
A Supreme Court ruling that widens the definition of a miscarriage of justice has been hailed as a step in the right direction by campaigners. Judges ruled this week that victims of a miscarriage of justice did not have to prove their innocence to receive compensation. ...
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Wragge & Co reports turnover boost
Birmingham firm Wragge & Co says it has emerged from tough times intact and with rising profits. The international company has posted a 16% rise in turnover for 2010/11, to £112m. Core areas, including corporate, banking and finance, intellectual property, real estate, ...
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Insurer blames personal injury solicitors for whiplash claims
A leading UK insurer has blamed claimant personal injury solicitors for a rise in whiplash claims despite a fall in the number of collisions. Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, also suggested that law firms are partly responsible for spiralling motor insurance premiums. The Law Society has hit back at ...
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Law Society warns health select committee over CFA reforms
The Law Society today told MPs that the government’s reforms to litigation funding will cause ‘rejoicing in the boardrooms of insurance companies’. Chief executive Desmond Hudson appeared before the Health Select Committee to tell MPs that coalition government proposals go too far. ...
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Landmark ruling on miscarriages of justice expected
Hundreds of people wrongly convicted of a serious crime will hear this week if they can make a fresh bid for compensation. Nine senior judges from the Supreme Court will decide the exact definition of a ‘miscarriage of justice’ in a landmark ruling expected tomorrow. ...
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News
Barnardo’s issues warning over asbo repeal
A leading children’s charity this week warned of the dangers of government plans to repeal the anti-social behaviour order (asbo). The Home Office is currently consulting on its ‘More Effective Responses to Anti-Social Behaviour’ policy, which aims to give the police, courts and the community extra ...
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News
Law firms in the dark over Quinn PII payments
Law firms that took out professional indemnity insurance (PII) policies with stricken Irish company Quinn Insurance are still in the dark about when claims will be paid.
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Domestic violence courts to close
More than one in six specialist domestic violence courts are set to close as part of the government’s nationwide court closures plan, it has emerged. Shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter has tabled a series of parliamentary questions to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke on the impact of ...
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News
Will ruling opens way for family claims
Family members who are snubbed in a relative’s will in favour of charities could find it easier to lay claim to the estate following a recent judgment. The Court of Appeal ruled last month that Heather Ilott could request a larger share of her mother Melita ...
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News
Cuts to court reporters are bad news for justice
Here’s a spot of philosophy to keep you going during this tortuous four-day week: if a judge speaks but there’s nobody in his courtroom, does he still make a sound? I ask because there are an awful lot of courtrooms now where the press bench is ...
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Top firms involved in merger talks
Almost three-quarters of UK law firms have entered into talks about mergers in the past year, according to research. The survey of the country’s top-200 law firms by turnover found that 74.2% have made an approach to, or been approached by, another firm with a view ...
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New website launches for personal injury claims
A new website has launched to gather personal injury claims for solicitors. The site selects only one firm per geographical area. Firms pay a flat monthly fee for the service which is based on the population of the area covered. ...
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News
Clifford Chance promotes nine partners in greater China
Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance has promoted 23 lawyers to its partnership – including 12 in Asia. The firm said the partnership promotions, which took effect on May 1, reflected a new commitment to business in the Far East, with nine of the new partners focused on the Greater China ...