Latest news – Page 713
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News
Sex discrimination case begins
A woman solicitor who alleges that her boss remarked she had ‘all the traits of a blonde’ and should find herself a rich husband has begun tribunal proceedings for sexual discrimination and unfair dismissal. Kate Welch, who worked at Birkenhead firm Nadim Associates from 1 July ...
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NI solicitors withdraw services over legal aid dispute
Criminal solicitors in Northern Ireland have withdrawn their services in Crown court cases in a dispute over legal aid fees. Their action follows the introduction of a payment regime that solicitors say cuts the fees paid for Crown court work by 54% in real terms. ...
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News
News focus: sole practitioners face 'perfect storm'
To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of the sole practitioner appear greatly exaggerated. Despite their near-universal hostility to alternative business structures, delegates at last weekend’s SPG conference in Harrogate were surprisingly upbeat about the ‘perfect storm’ they must weather. ...
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Coventry firm launches employment subscription scheme
A law firm has launched a subscription scheme to protect companies against the potentially ‘catastrophic’ costs arising from employment disputes. Coventry firm Band Hatton’s ‘Employment Protection Scheme’ (EPS) charges a set annual fee, which can be paid monthly to provide client businesses of all sizes with ...
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Society issues warning over EU-wide contract law
A proposed new system of contract law that will apply to all 28 member states of the European Union risks adding ‘cost and confusion’ for legislators and businesses, the Law Society has warned. The European Commission (EC) is to push ahead with legislative proposals for an ...
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Wragge & Co reports turnover boost
Birmingham firm Wragge & Co says it has emerged from tough times intact and with rising profits. The international company has posted a 16% rise in turnover for 2010/11, to £112m. Core areas, including corporate, banking and finance, intellectual property, real estate, ...
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News
New guidelines bring in tougher sentences for burglars
Burglars will face tougher sentences with the impact on their victims at the heart of the process under proposals published today by the Sentencing Council. The draft guidelines, which cover the offences of domestic burglary, non-domestic burglary and aggravated burglary, introduce a single framework for Crown ...
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News
Supreme Court rules on miscarriages of justice
A Supreme Court ruling that widens the definition of a miscarriage of justice has been hailed as a step in the right direction by campaigners. Judges ruled this week that victims of a miscarriage of justice did not have to prove their innocence to receive compensation. ...
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LSB recommends new powers for solicitors’ regulator ahead of ABSs
The Solicitor’s Regulation Authority will be given new powers to operate a single compensation fund for alternative business structures and non-ABSs, if parliament follows a recommendation made by the Legal Services Board yesterday. The LSB also recommends that the SRA should be able to charge non-ABS ...
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News
European Union is subject to Aarhus Convention, UN rules
Europe’s courts must stop barring citizens and non-governmental organisations (NGO) from challenging European Union decisions that affect the environment, a United Nations committee ruled last week.
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Law Society warns health select committee over CFA reforms
The Law Society today told MPs that the government’s reforms to litigation funding will cause ‘rejoicing in the boardrooms of insurance companies’. Chief executive Desmond Hudson appeared before the Health Select Committee to tell MPs that coalition government proposals go too far. ...
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Conveyancers council will authorise ABSs
The Legal Services Board has approved an application for the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures. With this approval, the CLC becomes the first ABS licensing authority. Its scope is limited to probate, ...
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News
Landmark ruling on miscarriages of justice expected
Hundreds of people wrongly convicted of a serious crime will hear this week if they can make a fresh bid for compensation. Nine senior judges from the Supreme Court will decide the exact definition of a ‘miscarriage of justice’ in a landmark ruling expected tomorrow. ...
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News
Lawyers unaware of pro bono costs orders, charity warns
Legal charities are missing out on funding because the majority of lawyers are unaware of the existence of ‘pro bono costs’ orders, research has suggested. Where a civil case is won by a lawyer providing free legal representation, under Section 194 of the Legal Services Act ...
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News
Charging powers passed from CPS to police
The power to decide charges for those suspected of crimes will be passed from the Crown Prosecution Service to the police under plans announced by the home secretary today, in what she called a ‘radical leap forward for policing’. Theresa May said the Home Office will ...
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News
Two new insurers set to enter solicitors’ PII market
Two new, A-rated insurers are poised to enter the professional indemnity insurance market, adding much-needed volume to a market that is again expected to be tough this year. Leading broker Richard Brown told the Sole Practitioners Conference in Harrogate yesterday that he is ‘90% of the ...
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News
Barnardo’s issues warning over asbo repeal
A leading children’s charity this week warned of the dangers of government plans to repeal the anti-social behaviour order (asbo). The Home Office is currently consulting on its ‘More Effective Responses to Anti-Social Behaviour’ policy, which aims to give the police, courts and the community extra ...
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News
Correction
Our News Focus of 7 April contained the statement: ‘Unlike Jackson, Kenneth Clarke does use figures.’ We are happy to make clear that Lord Justice Jackson’s report included extensive figures in support of its recommendations. We apologise if this sentence ...
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News
Stop the slaughter
Like many others, I am concerned about the government’s proposals on civil litigation costs. But I felt your call to arms, Join clients in the fight – Slaughter to be a step too far. Perhaps we should try negotiating first? ...
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A law unto itself
I fully endorse the comments of Michael Freeman, regarding the county court system failure in London. Under the Civil Procedure Rules, trial dates are supposed to be sacrosanct, yet my day-long case scheduled for the end of April was cancelled, causing additional expense and anxiety for ...