Last 3 months headlines – Page 1534
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Call for EU to tighten intellectual property protection
Pressure is mounting on EU lawmakers to improve protection for trade secrets and intellectual property (IP) rights, after two business lobbies called for stricter enforcement. A coalition of seven international corporations told the Gazette this week that it has called on the European Commission to afford ...
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Lord Lester demands 'urgent action' on CFA 'scandal'
Libel reformer Lord Lester has called on the government to take ‘urgent action’ on the ‘scandal’ of 100% success fees charged by lawyers working on conditional fee agreements (CFAs) in defamation actions. The barrister and Liberal Democrat peer asked justice minister Lord McNally last week ...
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Lawyers warn that court closures could threaten access to justice
Lawyers have warned that government proposals to close nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales could threaten access to justice and increase pressure on legal aid practitioners. In a consultation launched last week, the Courts Service proposed shutting 157 out of 530 ...
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Acoustic 'youth dispersal' devices ‘a danger to children's hearing'
Acoustic ‘youth dispersal’ devices are a danger to children’s hearing and should be banned immediately, the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe ruled unanimously last week. The devices, designed to be audible only to people under the age of 20, are installed in public places such as shopping centres, ...
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Halliwells becomes biggest casualty of the recession
One of the UK’s biggest regional law firms is expected to disappear from the market shortly, after the economic downturn claimed its biggest victim so far in the legal sector. As the Gazette went to press, Manchester-headquartered Halliwells and its staff were in limbo as ...
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Profits surge as A&O rides out recession
Magic circle firm Allen & Overy increased average profits per equity partner (PEP) by 10% in 2009/10 on the back of falling revenues, the firm reported today. The first of the magic circle to report full-year financials in 2010, Allen & Overy announced PEP up to ...
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Cuts on the agenda of family justice review
The Ministry of Justice has launched a ‘comprehensive review’ of the family justice system, appointing a panel of experts to hear evidence on how the system can improve. However, the panel chair has admitted a principal catalyst for the review is the government’s desire to make spending cuts. ...
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Criminal justice - doing it better with less
In his first speech on criminal justice since taking office, justice secretary Ken Clarke yesterday laid out his plans for the reform of the courts, legal aid and sentencing.
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90% ‘would recommend their solicitor to a friend’
Nine out of 10 people would recommend their solicitor to a friend, according to independent research commissioned by the Law Society. Of 1,011 people questioned by research agency GfK NOP, 505 said they had a solicitor to whom they would go for advice on a legal ...
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Halliwells on the brink of administration
The economic meltdown is set to claim its biggest casualty yet in the legal sector, with Halliwells hovering on the brink of administration. Talks are under way today to transfer the bulk of the top 50 firm’s assets to Liverpool-based Hill Dickinson, though there is no ...
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Supermarketing for lawyers
For a wordy profession, lawyers are a strangely reticent bunch when it comes to marketing. But the advent of the Legal Services Act has helped usher in big-hitting advertisers such as Tesco, Asda and the Co-op, making getting your name out there a commercial imperative.
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PII renewal fury
The annual renewal of our professional indemnity policies is approaching. I contacted our broker to assess what treats might be in store for us. He indicates that it is early days, but that we should budget for a substantial increase – maybe as much as 100%.The reasons for this are: ...
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CPS lawyer pleads guilty to bribe charge
A Crown Prosecution Service lawyer has admitted taking a share of a £20,000 bribe to drop a case. Sarfraz Ibrahim, a barrister who was the head of the advocacy unit at Gwent CPS, yesterday (Monday) admitted corruption, perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public ...
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Some lessons for the Legal Services Board
The Legal Services Board can take a leaf out of the American Bar Association’s book when planning its next radical review of legal services.
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Solicitor discrimination
I was unable recently to act on behalf of a client in a conveyancing transaction because my firm was already acting on behalf of her seller. The client instructed a local licensed conveyancer to act on her behalf. On speaking with her conveyancer a few days later, I was reminded ...
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In defence of defenders
There is a belief to some extent within the profession, and to a greater extent without, that those who practise criminal law are not of the same standard or calibre as solicitors who do not. From the profession’s point of view, this is because we rely ...
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In the real world
I wonder whether your anonymous solicitor in the 27 May issue has any idea of the overheads of a solicitor's practice? As a sole fee-earner and without being burdened with rent, I can say that the overheads of my practice of many years approximate £100,000 per ...
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Law shops are the future
So the Law Society is to spend £422,000 telling people what they already know, namely, that they can turn to a solicitor for legal advice because solicitors are ‘qualified to answer’. Is this money well spent and properly targeted as far as the public and the ...
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Reasonable charges
May I be allowed to respond to Ms Watson's letter in the 3 June Gazette, from the point of view of the solicitor acting for the management company? I frequently receive requests for information from solicitors acting for buyers and sellers of flats. Invariably, I receive a pre printed questionnaire ...
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Sharia law and diversity
Your report on the challenge to Sharia Law by the One Law for All Campaign has highlighted a concern I have had for some time. Peter Tatchell is quoted as generally opposing sharia jurisprudence as homophobic, sexist and anti-democratic.