Last 3 months headlines – Page 1586
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Hour of reckoning
Dick Jennings’ comments (see [2009] Gazette, 10 December, 11) supporting hourly fee charging miss two fundamental truths.
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Family confusion
James Carter (see [2009] Gazette, 17 December, 9) appears to have a rather different understanding than I about the way in which family cases, and public law proceedings in particular, are conducted.
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Sensitive subject
James Carter (see [2009] Gazette, 17 December, 9) misrepresents Resolution as opposing government plans to extend family reporting. In fact, Resolution is fully supportive of greater openness and transparency in the family courts.
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Wake up and smell the coffee
I am writing in response to recent letters from solicitors who either claim or imply that because their firms don’t pay referral fees they somehow have more integrity than firms that do.
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Politically, access to justice is as important as health and education
Last month I mentioned how those abroad observe our work, paying particular attention to the independence of our profession and to the perceived balance and fairness found in our legal system, both criminal and civil. Their perception is built on the outstanding reputation of the judiciary, the trusted skills and ...
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When it comes to paying bribes, can the end justify the means?
The biggest reforms to the law of bribery for more than a century will come under detailed scrutiny today as the government’s Bribery Bill begins its committee stage in the House of Lords. You would expect a bill of this sort to criminalise both the person ...
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Courtroom confessions
Here at Obiter Towers, we admit to enjoying tales of lawyers’ gaffes and gaucheries; lawyers are only human after all (whatever the Daily Mail says). We were particularly impressed by the honesty of the Bar Council’s new biggest bigwig, Nick Green QC. He confessed to Obiter that on one occasion ...
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Telly with welly
The start of January is depressing, let’s face it, with so much cash spent in December and still weeks to go until the next payday. But when there are no readies in the wallet to fund a pleasant night in the pub, what better way to spend cold and dull ...
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In good health
At last – some good news for the profession. Any readers who felt a little concerned on discovering that their work trousers were somewhat more difficult to put on this week than they were before Christmas – it must be a problem with the zip – can relax. It turns ...
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Star and away
Readers may recall that back in November this page was graced by glamour shots of our favourite motor-mouthed personal injury lawyer Kerry Underwood getting cosy with showbiz sirens Diana Rigg and Judith Charmers. Well, it seems this has sparked a bit of rivalry at Hertfordshire firm Underwoods. Keen to show ...
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Memory lane
A letter by a conveyancing lawyer from 1989. He asks if there is a life after conveyancying... Law Society’s Gazette, 6 December 1989 ...
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More police psychological training could prevent violence and riots
by Mike Finn, a former police officer with the Met and City of London Police, an expert witness and director of consultancy for Elite International The G20 demonstrations in 2009 raised a number of emotive issues concerning the use of force by officers. But how might ...
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There is now a major imbalance between supply and demand
Just before Christmas the Conservative Party published figures showing that the number of unemployed solicitors on benefits has climbed 400% in the downturn, to over 1,800. Gazette readers posted a deluge of comments on this story on our website, sparking an impassioned debate about the future of the profession. Do ...
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Amid economic gloom there is plenty of opportunity for the bar
Although a recession spells misery for some, for many barristers it is time to make hay while the sun shines. Downturns spawn disputes – as does an increasingly legislation-happy government – and while 2009 was largely a time for parties to assess their legal positions (thus boosting barristers’ advisory workload) ...
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Law firms launch new support service for solicitors
Two law firms have joined forces to launch a new support service for solicitors experiencing regulatory, conduct, practice or business problems. The Lawyers Defence Group (LDG) has been set up by national firm Richard Nelson and London firm Murdochs to provide all lawyers – solicitors, barristers, ...
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Five solicitors suspended following more than 100 client complaints
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has intervened in a Cheshire firm and suspended the practising certificates of five of its solicitors following allegations of dishonesty involving hundreds of thousands of pounds of clients’ money. The SRA is investigating suspected dishonesty and breaches of accounting rules at Wolstenholmes, ...
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Solicitors predict number of divorces will rocket following surge in enquiries
Family solicitors reported a surge in divorce enquiries before Christmas and have predicted that the number of divorces will rocket in 2010, with January likely to be the busiest month. The rush comes as London firm Lloyd Platt & Co markets a new ‘divorce voucher’ scheme for separating couples. Mark ...
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Various groups of solicitors represented disproportionately in SRA actions
Various groups of solicitors are disproportionately represented in actions taken by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, but there is no clear pattern, research has found. White solicitors are more likely to face complaints of professional misconduct, for example, while black and minority ethnic (BME) solicitors are more ...
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Family mediation pilot achieves mixed results
A pilot scheme making family mediation available at court to legally aided parties in disputes involving children has cost more than expected and achieved modest settlement rates, the Gazette has learned.
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First Sikh to be appointed a judge receives knighthood
The first Sikh to be appointed a judge in England and Wales topped the roll call of lawyers named in the New Year Honours list for 2010. Retired circuit judge Mota Singh QC (pictured), a barrister who sat at Southwark Crown Court, received a knighthood in ...