Latest news – Page 682

  • News

    Last resort Lords

    2011-10-20T00:00:00Z

    With regard to the news item of 29 September that the House of Lords will ‘fight the good fight’ - per Lord Carlile - am I the only legal aid family lawyer feeling distinctly underwhelmed?

  • News

    Bring on ‘Woolf II’, top judge urges

    2011-10-20T00:00:00Z

    A leading judge has called for a second wave of civil justice reforms, encouraging better use of IT, and greater efforts to promote UK legal services internationally. Mr Justice Vos said the UK’s law and legal system are highly respected overseas, but ‘not enough is done ...

  • News

    Government’s mediation drive reflects ‘jaundiced’ view of law

    2011-10-20T00:00:00Z

    The government’s drive to encourage mediation instead of court litigation is diverting attention from cuts to civil legal aid and the consequent reduction in access to justice, according to a leading academic. Professor Dame Hazel Genn told the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators' mediation symposium on Wednesday ...

  • News

    Liberty attacks ‘baffling’ review of extradition law

    2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

    The Extradition Act under which British subject and Asperger’s syndrome sufferer Gary McKinnon faces being sent for trial in the US for computer hacking is not biased against British citizens, a landmark review has concluded. The review, published today by parliament’s human rights joint committee and ...

  • News

    Neuberger argues for greater use of IT in courts

    2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

    Master of the rolls Lord Neuberger has backed the introduction of more electronic disclosure in court but stopped short of advocating ‘virtual trials’. Speaking at the high sheriff’s lecture in Leeds last week, Neuberger said the legal profession was facing change on a scale not seen ...

  • News

    Law Society Excellence Awards 2011: winners announced

    2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

    The outstanding achievements of the legal profession in England and Wales were celebrated by the Law Society at a ceremony in London yesterday evening. Over 600 legal professionals and their guests joined the president of the Law Society John Wotton and BBC Broadcaster Mishal Husain ...

  • News

    Senior partners cool on social media

    2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

    About two-thirds of law firms cannot find the time and resources to build and maintain a strong online presence, even though more than 75% have committed to using social media as a business tool, a survey of 50 law firms has found. RTS Media ...

  • News

    Bach seeks to scupper 10% legal aid fee cut

    2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

    Former legal aid minister Lord Bach has tabled a House of Lords motion calling for the statutory instrument that introduced 10% cuts to legal aid lawyers’ fees this month to be annulled.

  • News

    Society calls for delay to legal aid bill

    2011-10-18T00:00:00Z

    The Law Society today called on the government to delay passage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, after Jonathan Djanogly was stripped of responsibility for regulating claims management companies. The justice minister remains in charge of steering the controversial legislation through the ...

  • News

    Claims firms to become ‘advertising wing of ABSs’

    2011-10-17T00:00:00Z

    Claims management companies have already agreed pre-contract deals with law firms to become alternative business structures (ABSs), according to their governing body.

  • News

    PC renewals update

    2011-10-14T00:00:00Z

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority has today issued a statement informing solicitors that they will be able to renew their registration, recognition or practising certificate from 21 November. Solicitors are asked to visit the SRA site on 18 November, when the regulator will confirm whether or not ...

  • News

    Focus on new markets to survive house-buying collapse, conveyancers told

    2011-10-14T00:00:00Z

    Residential conveyancers should focus on landlords and investors to survive the collapse in the traditional market, property lawyers were told this week. Yolande Barnes, director of residential research at estate agents Savills, told a Law Society property conference there is a ‘fundamental structural change’ in the ...

  • News

    Court officer is Bribery Act’s first catch

    2011-10-14T00:00:00Z

    A court officer today pleaded guilty to taking a £500 bribe in the first prosecution under the 2010 Bribery Act. Munir Patel admitted the charge of bribery and misconduct in public office when he appeared at Southwark Crown Court. He will be ...

  • News

    Quality assurance scheme to go ahead from April

    2011-10-14T00:00:00Z

    The architects of a scheme to assure the quality of criminal advocates say it is back on track to start in April 2012. The Joint Advocacy Group (JAG) said that the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates has been tweaked to ensure it ‘protects the public ...

  • News

    Litigants in person numbers soar

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    The dire state of the economy has already led to a dramatic increase in the number of litigants in person, new figures from a voluntary organisation suggest. This is before government cuts to civil legal aid come into effect, which many solicitors predict will trigger another huge rise.

  • News

    Keep ministers out of legal aid decisions - LSC

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    The chairman of the Legal Services Commission has warned of the risk of ministers intervening for political reasons in decisions about the granting of legal aid. Speaking at the Legal Aid Practitioners Group conference in Birmingham last week, Sir Bill Callaghan (pictured) expressed concerns that ...

  • News

    Spending cuts 'could threaten' innovative court

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    Spending cuts could threaten the future of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC), the judge behind the innovative institution has warned. He called for joined-up government to recognise the savings it makes.

  • News

    Extended opening hours could boost magistracy

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    Government plans to extend magistrates’ operating hours into evenings and weekends could increase the diversity of the magistracy, but should not be carried out at the expense of daytime sitting, according to the chair of the Magistrates’ Association. John Thornhill told the Gazette that justice minister ...

  • News

    Wales ponders Welsh law

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    The Welsh government is to start a public debate on separate legal jurisdiction for the principality. A green paper will be launched early in 2012, first minister Carwyn Jones told last week’s Legal Wales conference in Cardiff. In March, the people of Wales voted to ...

  • News

    MoJ faces further challenge over legal aid

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    The Ministry of Justice faces another legal challenge to its legal aid reforms. The charity Disability Law Service has applied for permission to start judicial review proceedings in relation to the removal of civil legal aid funding for welfare benefits cases. The charity argues the ...