Last 3 months headlines – Page 1519
-
News
Criminal justice - doing it better with less
In his first speech on criminal justice since taking office, justice secretary Ken Clarke yesterday laid out his plans for the reform of the courts, legal aid and sentencing.
-
News
90% ‘would recommend their solicitor to a friend’
Nine out of 10 people would recommend their solicitor to a friend, according to independent research commissioned by the Law Society. Of 1,011 people questioned by research agency GfK NOP, 505 said they had a solicitor to whom they would go for advice on a legal ...
-
News
Halliwells on the brink of administration
The economic meltdown is set to claim its biggest casualty yet in the legal sector, with Halliwells hovering on the brink of administration. Talks are under way today to transfer the bulk of the top 50 firm’s assets to Liverpool-based Hill Dickinson, though there is no ...
-
News
Supermarketing for lawyers
For a wordy profession, lawyers are a strangely reticent bunch when it comes to marketing. But the advent of the Legal Services Act has helped usher in big-hitting advertisers such as Tesco, Asda and the Co-op, making getting your name out there a commercial imperative.
-
News
PII renewal fury
The annual renewal of our professional indemnity policies is approaching. I contacted our broker to assess what treats might be in store for us. He indicates that it is early days, but that we should budget for a substantial increase – maybe as much as 100%.The reasons for this are: ...
-
News
CPS lawyer pleads guilty to bribe charge
A Crown Prosecution Service lawyer has admitted taking a share of a £20,000 bribe to drop a case. Sarfraz Ibrahim, a barrister who was the head of the advocacy unit at Gwent CPS, yesterday (Monday) admitted corruption, perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public ...
-
News
Some lessons for the Legal Services Board
The Legal Services Board can take a leaf out of the American Bar Association’s book when planning its next radical review of legal services.
-
News
Solicitor discrimination
I was unable recently to act on behalf of a client in a conveyancing transaction because my firm was already acting on behalf of her seller. The client instructed a local licensed conveyancer to act on her behalf. On speaking with her conveyancer a few days later, I was reminded ...
-
News
In defence of defenders
There is a belief to some extent within the profession, and to a greater extent without, that those who practise criminal law are not of the same standard or calibre as solicitors who do not. From the profession’s point of view, this is because we rely ...
-
News
In the real world
I wonder whether your anonymous solicitor in the 27 May issue has any idea of the overheads of a solicitor's practice? As a sole fee-earner and without being burdened with rent, I can say that the overheads of my practice of many years approximate £100,000 per ...
-
News
Law shops are the future
So the Law Society is to spend £422,000 telling people what they already know, namely, that they can turn to a solicitor for legal advice because solicitors are ‘qualified to answer’. Is this money well spent and properly targeted as far as the public and the ...
-
News
Reasonable charges
May I be allowed to respond to Ms Watson's letter in the 3 June Gazette, from the point of view of the solicitor acting for the management company? I frequently receive requests for information from solicitors acting for buyers and sellers of flats. Invariably, I receive a pre printed questionnaire ...
-
News
Sharia law and diversity
Your report on the challenge to Sharia Law by the One Law for All Campaign has highlighted a concern I have had for some time. Peter Tatchell is quoted as generally opposing sharia jurisprudence as homophobic, sexist and anti-democratic.
-
News
Fundamental principles
Roger Smith's analysis of the shameful killing of Baha Mousa overlooks the significance of acquittal following trial under due process of law. The Labour politicians who sent the army into Iraq required a senior officer to appear in the dock alongside non commissioned ...
-
News
Herbert Smith sees rise in both income and profits
City firm Herbert Smith has increased both its turnover and average profits per equity partner (PEP) this year. Unveiling its 2009/10 financial results today, the top-10 firm (pictured) reported turnover up slightly to £450m from £444m in 2008/09, with PEP 2% higher at £862,000. ...
-
News
The Council of Europe costs one euro a year – and it’s worth every cent
Heard the one about the Council of Europe? It’s worse than a bureaucracy – it’s a Eurocracy. Boom-boom! I’ve just got back from the Council of Europe (CoE) – I was reporting on the parliamentary assembly last week in Strasbourg – and, despite the almost universal cynicism typified by the ...
-
News
International in-house pay survey shows that seniors are suffering
Senior in-house lawyers have fared much worse than their junior colleagues in the pay stakes over recent years, research has suggested. The average salary for a UK in-house lawyer with 10 years’ post-qualification experience (PQE) dropped 7% between 2004 and 2010, to £89,000 from £95,500, according ...
-
News
Criminal procedure
Admissibility – Confessions – Theft – Trial within a trial R v Bhavna Dhorajiwala: CA (Crim Div) (Lord Justice Aikens, Mr Justice Slade, Judge Wadsworth QC): 9 June 2010 The ...
-
News
Immigration
Asylum – Ethiopia – Persecution – Refugees Secretary of State for the Home Department v St (Eritrea): CA (Civ Div): (Sir Anthony May (president QB), Lords Justices Longmore, Stanley Burnton)9 June 2010 ...
-
News
The law regarding entrapment
The law is unclear as to how much protection is afforded to those entrapped by undercover journalists into committing criminal offences, says David Sleight