Last 3 months headlines – Page 1462
-
News
Same-sex couples’ access to marriage is an important right
by Nichi Hodgson, freelance journalist Back in September, LGBT activist Peter Tatchell launched his ‘Equal Love’ campaign, which called for marriages and civil partnerships to be available to all British couples, regardless of their sexual orientation, contrary to current UK law.
-
News
SRA takes first steps in review of training and education
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has invited contractors to undertake its ‘fundamental’ review of the legal education and training system for lawyers in England and Wales. The SRA said that the review is designed ‘to ensure that the ethical standards and levels of competence of ...
-
News
Lawyers' part in reducing clients' pension deficits
On 10 December 2010, Mr Justice Briggs ruled in the High Court that any Financial Support Direction (FSD) or Contribution Notice (CN) from The Pensions Regulator (TPR) issued against an insolvent company will rank as an administration expense, and therefore take priority over other liabilities such as bank loans. This ...
-
News
Fraud hits record high, KPMG report claims
Fraud cases in the UK rose by 16% last year to reach a record total of 314 reported incidents, valued at £1.4bn, according to a report by KPMG.
-
News
Are solicitors really better at drafting wills?
The hot topic in the field of wills right now is clearly the issue of whether will-writing should become a reserved activity; something that is on the Legal Services Board’s work agenda.
-
News
Good will hunting
As any wills and probate solicitor knows only too well, a shocking proportion of the population has never made a will (two-thirds of Britons do not have a valid will according to a recent survey by unbiased.co.uk). So law firms will be only too pleased that a new BBC documentary ...
-
News
Barrister Billy: quick on the draw
Back in the 1960s and 70s, in a hopeless case – for example, if the defendant refused to plead guilty to bank robbery even though he had been photographed inside the bank, had three identifying witnesses, and was found with the money stuffed behind his fireplace and had made a ...
-
News
Present danger
Over the Christmas period, many readers will have faced the challenge of having to respond graciously after unwrapping a truly hideous present, such as a reindeer-emblazoned jumper from the in-laws. But how to respond when one cannot even tell what the item actually is? This dilemma was apparently faced by ...
-
News
95 not out
A 95-year-old solicitor has just received his 70th consecutive practising certificate, Obiter has learned. Leslie Black (pictured), a consultant at Merseyside firm Black Norman, was admitted in 1941 and has run a thriving litigation, company and commercial, wills and probate, and licensing practice ever since. ‘Is he working today?’ Obiter ...
-
News
The benefits of joining the residential conveyancing scheme
Despite the challenges from licensed conveyancers, it is believed that between 85% and 90% of the conveyancing market are solicitors. However, it is hard to tell how accurate this figure is. Of only 600,000-800,000 transactions last year (which includes remortgages), the largest Land Registry users include Enact and My Home ...
-
News
An important appeal court judgment relating to contact orders
The decision of the Court of Appeal in the matter of L-W Children [2010] EWCA Civ 1253 has surprised many people. Some have probably used even stronger language. It is probably best if, in this article, I concentrate on analysis and practicalities. ...
-
News
Probate update: RSPCA appeals
What an exciting month December was. We got decisions in the two big RSPCA appeals. In Gill v RSPCA [2009] EWHC 2990 (Ch), at first instance the court held that the will which disinherited Mrs Gill’s only daughter, leaving everything to the RSPCA, was invalid. It ...
-
News
Join the new legal aid LinkedIn group
The Gazette and the Law Society launched a joint LinkedIn group specifically for legal aid solicitors this week. The group will be the leading forum for discussion of legal aid topics, and will help the Society’s legal aid team gather input from solicitors to inform next ...
-
News
Family lawyers hail new code
Family lawyers have welcomed last week’s publication of the long-awaited Family Procedure Rules 2010, which will come into force on 6 April. The new code, published by the Ministry of Justice, provides a single set of rules for proceedings in the magistrates’ court, county court and ...
-
News
Sentencing
Deterrence – Undue leniency Attorney General’s Reference (nos 37, 38 and 65 of 2010) sub nom R v (1) Shahawaz Ali Khan (2) Raza Ali Khan (3) Perveen Khan: CA (Civ Div) (Lord Justice Pitchford, Mr Justice Henriques, Judge ...
-
News
Company law
Share valuation – Unlawful distribution of capital Progress Property Co Ltd v Moorgarth Group Ltd: Sup Ct (Lords Phillips (President), Walker, Mance, Collins, Clarke): 8 December 2010 The appellant company ...
-
News
Social security
Common law rights – Overpayment of benefits R (on the application of Child Poverty Action Group) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions: Sup Ct (Lords Phillips (president), Rodger, Brown, Kerr, Sir John Dyson): 8 December 2010 ...
-
News
Libel success fees – myth and reality
There is a myth that claimant libel lawyers win almost every libel case they bring and charge double their fees, which must be paid by the defendant, usually a media organisation. The reality is very different. Background ...
-
News
Calls to rethink telephone gateway for civil legal aid
The Law Society and other representative groups have called for a ‘fundamental rethink’ of ‘radical’ government proposals to introduce a telephone gateway for all civil legal aid services. The impact assessments published with the government’s recent legal aid green paper estimate that the introduction of a ...
-
News
Real property
Easements – Right to drive cattle Dewan & Ors v Lewis: CA (Civ Div) (Lords Justices Carnwath, Elias, Pitchford): 9 December 2010 The appellants (D) appealed against a decision that ...