Last 3 months headlines – Page 1761
-
News
Damn statistics?
Derek Hill, director of the Criminal Defence Service at the LSC, trumpets the rise in criminal legal aid contracts and offices as evidence that practitioners still believe publicly funded work is 'profitable' (see [2008] Gazette, 5 June, 4).
-
News
Breeding confidence
I am the solicitor quoted in Peter Williamson's piece 'Doing the right thing' (see [2008] Gazette, 12 June, 15). I welcome the openness of his response, as chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), to the spate of criticisms of the ways in which the SRA sometimes conducts its investigation ...
-
News
Over the odds
A Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) case reported last week (see [2008] Gazette, 12 June, 29) sent a shiver down my spine. Forgive me, but no complaint was made and yet the SDT feels that the greater good is served by fining the partners of the firm in question £10,500 plus ...
-
News
Work ethics
I was interested to read Nicola Prior's letter 'Men's Club' (see [2008] Gazette, June 5, 11), particularly her comment that she has 'more work than I know what to do with'. If this is the case then presumably the answer is a) turn work away ...
-
News
Court napping
I have just seen the most amazing document. It is a Central London County Court order, dated 11 November 1993, following an application dated 10 November 1993. Contrast this with recent experience. In the same court, an application for a consent order was filed ...
-
News
Putting yourself first
The duty criminal defence lawyers owe to their clients is being overridden in the cause of better court administration, says Matthew Hickling
-
News
Salary survey reveals
By Anita Rice Black and minority ethnic (BME) solicitors earn 17% less than white solicitors, while women solicitors earn 7.6% ...
-
News
Regulator: solicitors flouting referral rules
By Jonathan Rayner Fresh evidence has emerged suggesting that solicitors, rather than claims management companies, are largely responsible for breaches ...
-
News
Applicants
The number of applicants for Queen's Counsel (QC) plummeted by more than a third this year to 247, down from 333 in the 2006 competition and 443 in 2005, according to figures released last week by the independent selection panel. ...
-
News
Turn cold calls into cash, solicitors told
Solicitors should make 'converting enquiries into business' their top priority, a leading marketing consultant advised this week. Speaking at the Law Society ?property section's spring conference, Ian Cooper, managing director of Cooper Communications, said there was no point spending money on marketing if firms failed to turn calls ...
-
News
Crime doesn't pay
The litigator graduated fee scheme was introduced solely to cut costs and defence firms are struggling to cope, alleges John Storer ...
-
News
Luxury lifestyles
I have just read last week's front page article, 'City litigators dismiss "liability crisis" claim'. It brought to mind the recent case of Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National PLC and others. In that one case, where the various financial institutions effectively sang from the ...
-
News
Advance warning
I wholeheartedly agree with the comments made by Sue Nelson in response to my article on tips for remaining competitive (see [2008] Gazette, 15 May, 11), regarding a happy, well-motivated workforce which takes pride in a job well done and a challenge met.
-
News
Get down to business
Sue Nelson's response to the article by Viv Williams was disappointing. We face enormous challenges in the next few years when the Clementi reforms come in. Add the housing market downturn, the credit crunch and continuing legal aid pay cuts, and I believe we have reached a tipping ...
-
News
Complaints delay
As a practising barrister not infrequently asked to advise solicitors regarding complaints to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), I endorse much of what Gregory Treverton-Jones QC had to say as reported in the news item 'Barrister puts SRA in the dock' (see [2008] Gazette, 8 May, 3).
-
News
Local government law
By Nicholas Dobson, Pinsent Masons, Leeds Pleasing the people: legitimate expectation ...
-
News
Law reports
MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT Human rights - celebrities - children - photographs David Murray (by his litigation friends (1) Neil Murray (2) Joanne Murray) v Big Pictures ...
-
News
The ins and outs of earning power
David Marshall assesses the impact of the Ogden Tables on deciding loss-of-earnings claims in personal injury cases A year ago, ...