Last 3 months headlines – Page 1608
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Miners' solicitors bombard government with FoI requests
The government has been overloaded with freedom of information (FoI) requests made by solicitors acting for former coal miners ahead of the first coordinated negligence action for alleged under-settlement of government compensation claims. In a letter to coalfield communities MPs, seen by the Gazette, junior energy ...
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Government ‘actively assessing’ Jackson report
The government and the opposition have hinted that they would implement some of Lord Justice Jackson’s recommendations on civil litigation costs, following the first parliamentary exchange on the judge’s report since its publication a month ago. Justice secretary Jack Straw said: ‘Lord Justice Jackson’s proposals… are ...
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Conveyancing solicitors ‘failing’ clients over survey advice
Conveyancing solicitors are running the risk of potential negligence actions by failing to advise buyers to obtain a survey before purchasing a property, an expert has claimed. Mike Ockenden, chief executive of the Federation of Property Information Providers, said: ‘The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook recommends ...
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Cafcass in ‘meltdown’, report claims
The organisation tasked with safeguarding the interests of vulnerable children is in ‘meltdown’, a report has suggested. However, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has hit back at the claims, which it says are ‘not based on fact’ and undermine the ...
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Large firms in legal aid talks
The Ministry of Justice has met representatives from some of the larger criminal legal aid firms to discuss more ambitious plans for best value tendering (BVT), it has emerged. The news has sparked fears among smaller firms that they could be cut out of the market. ...
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Women jurors more likely to change their minds than men
Women jurors are more likely to change their minds as a result of jury deliberations than men, a Ministry of Justice report has revealed. The research showed that while female jurors were significantly more likely to convict at the start of deliberations, when discussions were completed ...
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SRA approves sweeping changes to practising fee charging regime
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has this week approved sweeping changes to the way the practising certificate (PC) is charged, which will come into force this October. The SRA board has pressed ahead with a new charging regime that will shift more of the PC fee burden ...
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Change is happening quicker than you think
Outside of the personal injury claims world (and within it in many quarters) a highly significant change in legal practice is slipping in almost unnoticed.
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Can the BNP change its spots?
At an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday 14 February the British National Party (BNP) approved its new constitution allowing people of all ethnicities to become members.
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HIPs reduce failed transactions and benefit solicitors, provider claims
Home Information Packs (HIPs) have reduced the number of failed conveyancing transactions, figures have suggested. Conveyancer and HIP provider myhomemove said the packs had caused the number of failed property transactions it was involved in to dip to 9% since the full introduction of HIPs ...
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Websites – to retain or gain clients?
The Gazette’s LinkedIn group is having a useful discussion centred around the launch of Shoosmiths Access Legal website. The responses mainly look at whether or how other solicitors should emulate Shoosmiths’ approach.
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Law Society Diversity Access Scheme calls for funds
An initiative designed to boost social mobility and help talented students become lawyers has appealed for greater financial support to help raise funds to assist candidates in need. The Law Society's Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), which is supported by the Law Society Charity, supports promising entrants ...
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Where is Gao Zhisheng?
A year ago, the Chinese human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, disappeared. Efforts to find out what has happened to him have been brushed off by the Chinese authorities: ‘Honestly speaking, I don’t know where he is. China has 1.3 billion people and I can’t know all of their whereabouts.’
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Jackson: a victory for the propaganda machine of defendant insurers?
My firm, Coyne Learmonth, is a firm of solicitors practising in Crosby near Liverpool. We deal only with road traffic accident (RTA) claims and specialise in credit hire claims arising out of such accidents. I am not in a position to comment on any aspect of ...
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APIL attacks government over eligibility for bereavement damages
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has criticised the government for ignoring Law Commission recommendations to increase general damages in personal injury cases. Responding to a Ministry of Justice consultation on the draft Civil Law Reform Bill, APIL said that ‘injured people will bear the ...
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Solicitors must diversify and cross-sell to boost profits
In the next few weeks some friends of ours, who are farmers, will be opening a new marina and farm shop on the Trent and Mersey Canal.
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Linklaters launches fast-track LPC
Magic circle firm Linklaters has launched an accelerated legal practice course designed to cut four and a half months from the typical LPC course length. The accelerated LPC, available to the firm’s trainees from January 2011, will take seven and a half months to complete. Linklaters ...
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Number of family law disputes in January much greater than expected
The number of legal disputes over children almost doubled in January as Christmas and the recession combined to increase tensions between divorced parents, figures have revealed. Contact Law, a client introduction network for law firms, said enquiries regarding child support and child custody jumped 49%, from ...
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Injured person ‘forgotten’, says APIL
The personal injury claims process has lost sight of the injured person, the president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has said. Speaking at the APIL president’s lunch, John McQuater said a good claims system needed to strike ‘the right balance’ for injured people and ...
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Criminal law: use of hearsay evidence; professional conduct
The Supreme Court in R v Horncastle [2009] UKSC14 has upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal that, in appropriate circumstances, the Crown may rely wholly or mainly on hearsay evidence to establish its case. The Court of Appeal had, however, emphasised the need to check the reliability of ...