Last 3 months headlines – Page 1394
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Charity in legal aid challenge on clinical negligence
Action Against Medical Accidents has launched a legal challenge against the government’s controversial plans to scrap legal aid for clinical negligence cases. The charity has issued judicial review proceedings, arguing that the Ministry of Justice's decision to remove such cases from scope is irrational and unfair. ...
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Telephone gateway plan could face judicial review
Government plans to introduce a mandatory telephone gateway to the civil legal aid scheme are facing a legal challenge which is supported by The Law Society. The Public Law Project, acting on behalf of ten specialist legal aid firms, has issued an application for permission to apply for a judicial ...
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Advocacy accreditation will be implemented ‘circuit by circuit’
The controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) will be implemented in stages, but there will be no pilot, it has emerged. A report to the Bar Standards Board indicated that consideration was being given to piloting of the scheme, which is due to ...
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Letterhead change
Elizabeth Muirhead’s letter questions the need for firms to change their letterheads, websites and emails to say ‘authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority’ from 6 October, when our new Handbook and Code of Conduct come into effect. The reason for the change is to ...
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Family bar warns of ‘bleak’ future at national meeting
Family barristers have warned of a ‘bleak’ future for family justice if the government’s legal aid cuts are implemented as planned. At a national meeting last weekend, the Family Law Bar Association said the reforms set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders ...
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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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ABSs ‘not attractive’ to City firms, new research suggests
City law firms do not generally see alternative business structures as attractive, because they are reluctant to cede control of the firm to source external funding that they do not need. This is one conclusion of the first of a series of studies looking at ...
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EU-wide training: the impossible dream
What would you do if you had to draw up a plan for training 1.4 million legal personnel in European Union law in 27 member states? You would either run for the exit, or make a hopeful start somewhere.
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Regulator considers ‘reflective approach’ on continuing professional development
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to commission research on continuing professional development schemes in other professions and internationally as part of its review of CPD, the Gazette has learned. The regulator said it will examine a range of schemes in use, including the more ‘reflective’ approach ...
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Lib Dems call for legal aid to be retained in benefits appeals
The Liberal Democrats have condemned the cuts to legal aid for welfare benefits appeals. At its autumn conference, the party called on the government to retain legal aid for people appealing welfare benefit decisions, and voted through a motion condemning the government’s welfare reform plans. ...
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Community sentences are no soft option
The prison population has reached a record high of 87,120, according to figures released on Friday by the Ministry of Justice. But does being tough on crime mean offenders have to go to prison, or are community sentences and reparation actually tougher? And are the latter ...
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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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Law Society announces Excellence Awards shortlist
The Law Society has today unveiled the shortlist of lawyers and firms nominated for this year’s Excellence Awards. The 17 awards recognise outstanding achievement by legal professionals at firms of all sizes across England and Wales, in categories ranging from community investment to client service, with ...
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LSC ‘performed strongly’ in 2010/11, says MoJ
The departing chief executive of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) cut the organisation’s running costs by 11% in 2010/11. Carolyn Downs achieved a £15m underspend on the organisation’s £135m administrative budget, through ‘targeted efficiency savings generated in year against staff, estates and costs’. ...
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Decisive actions are needed in changing times
Despite the delay in the regulation to license alternative business structures and the full implementation of the Legal Services Act, it is imperative that law firms decide now what direction their firm is planning to take. We can categorise the profession simply into three areas; the ...
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Insolvency
Company - Voluntary winding up - Liquidator Re Sunwing Vacation Inc and others: Chancery Division (Mr Justice Morgan): 22 June 2011 The Chancery Division of the High Court allowed the ...
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Discrimination
Social security - Services for sick and disabled persons - Assessment of needs of sick and disabled persons JG and MB v Lancashire County Council: Administrative Court (Manchester) (Mr Justice Kenneth Parker): 2 September 2011 ...
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Employment
Employer’s duty to consult - Failure to consult union - Affected employee seeking protective award against employer Independent Insurance Co Ltd (in provisional liquidation) v Aspinall and another: EAT (Judge Serota QC, Mr D Bleiman, Mr J R Rivers): ...