Last 3 months headlines – Page 1463
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Profession’s growth 'defies gravity’, SRA figures show
The number of practising solicitors in England and Wales has risen sharply to more than 120,000, with their ranks growing at an accelerated rate despite the economic pressures faced by the profession, the latest figures have shown. One leading industry commentator claimed that the rise ...
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Has Nick Clegg been 'mugged by reality' on control orders?
Will the government abolish control orders? Or are unconvicted terrorist suspects still going to have their movements and contacts restricted under these much-criticised ‘gag and tag’ orders? ‘Control orders cannot continue in their current form,’ insisted the deputy prime minister last week. ‘They must be replaced.’ ...
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EU contract law plea
The expert group tasked with advising the European Commission on EU-wide changes to contract law should have more input from English law practitioners, the Law Society said this week. Society chief executive Desmond Hudson expressed concern that the panel is currently made up primarily of academics ...
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'Boom-bust’ warning for top commercial firms
Top commercial law firms must become more flexible and less reactive to cope with the boom-bust pattern of global markets over the next 10 years, a report by consultants Jomati has suggested. Introducing variable rather than fixed costs, creating links with legal process outsourcers (LPOs), and ...
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Website pioneers advice auction
A Cheshire solicitor has launched a website giving legal advice over the internet to members of the public, who can decide how much they want to pay for it. The site, www.expert-answers.co.uk, was created by property partner James Mather at Ellesmere Port firm Berkson Wallace.
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MoJ favours ban on cash inducements
Claims farmers would be banned from offering cash inducements and other benefits to the public, under proposals put forward by the Ministry of Justice in a consultation paper. In a move to implement one of Lord Young of Graffham’s recommendations in his October report on the ...
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The SRA gears up for what will be a pivotal year for legal services
This year will be pivotal for the delivery and regulation of legal services. We will see the culmination of a process which started in 2003 when the constitutional affairs secretary, Lord Falconer, asked Sir David Clementi to review the regulation of legal services and recommend the framework that ‘would best ...
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'Virtual’ visitor interrupts police interview
The security of the virtual court system has been called into question once again, after a video technician appeared on a virtual court monitor during a confidential police station consultation between a solicitor and his client and began talking to the pair, the Gazette has learned.
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Dishonest dealings and tax
I read an article in a Sunday newspaper entitled ‘Self-employed? Make extra money from the VAT rise’. I am perplexed because, while I understand that in the current economic climate it is good to have incentives for smaller businesses, this incentive appears to be, prima facie, dishonest.
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The current practice of investigating deaths must be challenged
In 2009, 22% of all deaths in England and Wales underwent autopsy on the instruction of coroners – one of the highest rates of medico-legal autopsy in the world. The fundamental review of death certification and investigation reported that the autopsy rate was between double and triple the rates of ...
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Speaking out on immigration policy
It emerged this week that the UK Border Agency has lost track of 60,000 asylum seekers. On past form, rather than address failings at UKBA directly, the Home Office will carry on trying to look tough on asylum seekers and illegal immigration by announcing stricter rules for immigrants who require ...
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Premature call on RTA claims process
I write to comment on the item: ‘FOIL president: cut claimant lawyer fees’
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Doing a disservice
Mr Digby-Bell is entitled to his opinions, which he is rarely slow to publicise. In doing so in his letter without a word in advance or participation in the council’s debates, he belittles the considerable efforts of the Law Society and its president in fighting for access to justice and ...
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'Wild west' lawyers
The alleged futility of the SRA’s ‘consultation’ made the letters page . This futility extends to the Legal Ombudsman too. On that date I attended a meeting with a diverse group of people with an interest in whether or not solicitors should be named when a ...
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Why not run a separate compensation fund for ABSs?
With alternative business structures due in 2011, the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority’s fitness-to-own test is likely to be tested. The attraction of law firms and client account to organised criminals cannot be underestimated.
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Burger deal, fashion buy, road-building initiative, new listing
Burger buy: Reading firm Pitmans advised restaurant operator Zing Leisure on acquiring three Burger King restaurants in London for an undisclosed sum. Burger King was advised by its in-house team.
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It’s not all about the marketing
Here we are then, 2011, the year of the alternative business structure. If you don’t believe that implementation of the Legal Services Act will have a major impact on the legal market then don’t bother reading on, as nothing I can say will change your mind and neither will ...
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‘Not just peanuts’ campaign to support legal advice charities
The Access to Justice Foundation will today launch a national campaign encouraging law firms to release unclaimed money from their client accounts to help support free legal assistance in their local community. The charity’s ‘It's Not Just Peanuts’ campaign is targeting amounts of less than ...
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Law Commission consults on pre-nuptial agreements
The Law Commission has today published a consultation on the future of pre-nuptial agreements, seeking views on whether couples should be able to make binding agreements governing financial arrangements if their relationships end. The paper puts forward a range of options for reforming the law of ...
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Jones day to open three Saudi offices in 2011
US firm Jones Day will open three associate offices in Saudi Arabia this year, it announced today. An office in Riyadh has already been established, and further outposts in Jeddah and Al-Khobar will be set up later this year in association with Saudi firm Al Sulaim ...