Last 3 months headlines – Page 1711
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Crime can pay
With respect, I doubt that Mr Parkhouse takes home the minimum wage (see [2009] Gazette, 29 January, 9). Nor does he receive £150 an hour when representing clients privately. Mr Parkhouse surely receives a graduate-commensurate salary, as do the vast majority of criminal practitioners. His firm has obviously concluded that ...
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The balance of power
‘The common thread that underpins the Legal Services Board’s work is the consumer,’ declares the LSB’s first business plan, which was published a week ago. Nothing remarkable about that, though what is worth dwelling on is the role of the body’s consumer panel. Part critical friend, part watchdog’s watchdog, the ...
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Law on lock knives is in need of re-examination
When we buy from a reputable high street store, we trust the integrity of the store to sell goods that don’t have the potential of being illegal when we leave the store. The paradox here is the fact that selling is legal but possession is illegal. The lock knife is ...
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Law Society is working hard to fight the recession
January represents the mid-point of the presidential year. As I flew back from my trip to the far east on behalf of the profession last month, I reflected on the events of the first half of my tenure and looked to the priorities of my second six months.
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Dealing with unclaimed surplus client funds
Solicitors going through the exercise of clearing their ledgers and dealing with unclaimed surplus client monies are being reminded of the role of the Treasury Solicitor's Bona Vacantia ('ownerless property') Division, which collects unclaimed funds on behalf of the Crown. The monies collected are transferred annually to the Exchequer to ...
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'We oppose secret inquests'
I agree entirely with the statement by Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors, at the end of your leader on secret inquests (see [2009] Gazette, 29 January, 8) . I am utterly opposed to secret inquests of any kind. Every sudden death should be properly investigated ...
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SRA may face challenge over in-house code anomaly
The Solicitors Regulation Authority may face a judicial review challenge over claims that it unfairly penalises in-house lawyers, the Gazette has learned.
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Check medical examiners' credentials, solicitors warned
Defence solicitors have been advised to check the credentials of forensic medical examiners (FMEs) following a warning that police use of inexperienced agency staff may be putting detainees at risk. Ian Kelcey, chairman of the Law Society’s criminal law committee, said inadequately trained or qualified FMEs ...
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Big rise in calls for help on stress
The number of case files opened by support group LawCare jumped by two-thirds last year, with stress the main cause of concern. LawCare said that it opened 500 case files and received another 1,925 calls in 2008. This compares with 301 case files and 1,310 calls in 2007. ...
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Solicitors dominate Office for Legal Complaints board
Three solicitors, but no barristers, have been appointed to the body charged with setting up and running a new consumer complaints system for the legal profession. The Legal Services Board on Tuesday named the six successful candidates for appointment to the Office for Legal Complaints, due to become operational next ...
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MP condemns government on libel reform
Justice minister Bridget Prentice has come under fire for ‘dismissing’ arguments made by MPs in a debate on libel laws. In a letter to Prentice (pictured), seen by the Gazette, Rotherham MP Denis MacShane, who led the adjournment debate in December, said: ‘I regret deeply you ...
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Council chief legal officer plan faces opposition
Proposals to require all local authorities to appoint a chief legal officer have run into opposition from groups representing senior council staff. The Law Society and Solicitors in Local Government (SLG) argue that the new post should replace the role of monitoring officer.
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Means testing ‘will leave clients unrepresented’
Many defendants could go unrepresented under government proposals to means-test Crown Court legal aid and cap funds to reimburse those acquitted, the Law Society has warned. Responding to the two Ministry of Justice consultations that ended last week, Chancery Lane said: ‘The introduction of means testing ...
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Law Society regains voluntary accreditation role
The Law Society has regained control of voluntary accreditation schemes from the Solicitors Regulation Authority after 96% of council members voted for them to be handed back to the Society. The vote affects schemes to accredit practitioners in a number of areas, including mental health, ...
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Solicitors act against personal injury ‘capture’
A solicitor group fighting the insurance company practice of ‘capturing’ personal injury clients is to meet the Ministry of Justice next week.
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Army reports surge in recruitment inquiries
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) says it has had a surge of enquiries from solicitors and barristers about joining the army as legal advisers. Although figures from this year’s annual intake are not yet available, the MoD said the number of applicants was higher than in recent years, possibly because ...
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Firms settle web spat
A dispute between two Manchester law firms has ended with a modest payout to two clients whose case studies were used on a firm’s website. The argument began when a solicitor moved from Geoffrey Miller to Olliers, which then featured on its site some motoring cases she had worked on. ...
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Lawyers targeted as ID card users
Lawyers may be among the first customers of equipment to read UK identity cards, the minister in charge of the scheme said last week. Meg Hillier, undersecretary of state at the Home Office, told a conference on the business uses of ID cards that one ...
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Gold mines, liquidity pools and retail stores
Waitrose acquisition: City firm Lovells advised retailer Waitrose on its acquisition of 13 stores from the Co-operative group and Somerfield for an undisclosed sum. National firm Addleshaw Goddard advised Co-op and Somerfield. ...
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South Korea hints at market opening
City law firms may steal a march on their US rivals by gaining access to the potentially lucrative South Korean market first, it has emerged. A bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) between the European Union and South Korea could be signed as early as March, ...