Latest news – Page 865
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Out-of-work lawyers lured by global volunteer projects
Out-of-work solicitors are turning to international volunteer projects to keep their hand in during the recession, according to a leading development charity. Challenges Worldwide, which recruits and trains volunteers with professional skills to work with partners in developing countries, has seen an upward trend in the ...
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Government gives ‘diluted’ go-ahead for class actions
The government gave a qualified go-ahead to class actions this week. In its response to a report by the Civil Justice Council (CJC) which recommended the introduction of a new collective redress procedure last year, the Ministry of Justice said that class actions could be ...
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Civil Justice Council moves to fix fast-track fees
A move to fix the level of legal fees for all fast-track civil cases will begin this week, the Gazette can reveal. The Civil Justice Council has gathered together 13 representatives from the legal profession and insurance industry, including the Law Society, to start work initially ...
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Halifax launches next step in its expansion into legal services
Halifax has taken the next step in its expansion into legal services by launching an online ‘pay as you go’ legal document production and advice service. Halifax Legal Express offers customers three levels of service: ‘self-serve’ allows them to create one of a range of more ...
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Firms merging for the wrong reasons, study shows
Nearly 60% of small and medium-sized law firms are looking to grow through merger and acquisition, but they risk giving themselves bigger headaches, new research seen exclusively by the Gazette has claimed. The survey of 188 practices by the 360 Legal Group found that 59% have ...
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Solicitors win best-value tendering battle but fears remain over pilots
Solicitors claimed to have ‘won a battle’ with the Legal Services Commission this week, as it announced it is to delay the rollout of best value tendering across the country by three years.
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PC fee to rise by nearly 20%
The Law Society’s Council yesterday ‘reluctantly’ voted to increase the practising certificate (PC) by nearly 20%, though it was stressed that ‘not one penny’ of the rise was attributable to increased spending by Chancery Lane. The PC fee for 2010 will be £1,180, up from £995. ...
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Lord Neuberger appointed Master of the Rolls
Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, 61, the youngest of the law lords, is to become Master of the Rolls from 1 October. As head of England and Wales’ civil justice system he will be the second most senior judge. He will succeed Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, who has been appointed a ...
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Working group to examine probate disclosure rules
The President of the Family Division, Mark Potter, is to set up a working group to establish a ‘fair and efficient procedure’ for the publication and disclosure of wills. Sir Mark said the current rules were ‘far from user friendly’ for practitioners and the public ...
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Businesses should be liable for employee bribery
Businesses should face strict liability for bribes paid by their employees, the Joint Committee on the Draft Bribery Bill recommended today. Publishing its report on the draft bill, the committee said that liability for bribes should rest with companies and partnerships unless they can prove they ...
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Profits crash at SJ Berwin
Partner profits at City firm SJ Berwin have plummeted by nearly half, with senior partner Jonathan Blake denouncing his firm’s financial results as ‘disappointing’ and ‘not acceptable’. The firm reported a 49% fall in profits per equity partner (PEP) from £801,000 in 2007/08 to £410,000 in ...
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Public confidence undermined by ‘rush to legislate’
The government’s ‘ad hoc and piecemeal’ attempts at constitutional reform risk further undermining public confidence, a report published today has warned.
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Charities are right to recover losses
I was disappointed to read Michael Loveridge’s response to my comments about executors potentially being liable to beneficiaries for losses caused by delay (see [2009] Gazette, 2 July, 10). I hope he will not carry through his suggestion of advising his clients against making charitable bequests.
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Coming off the rails
If the government and LSC want to assess the risks of best value tendering, they should consider the collapse of the National Express East Coast train franchise. That company obtained the franchise with the lowest bid and an offer to make the biggest payment to the government.
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CPD a better tool
I have never thought that peer review was an appropriate quality assurance tool. It is an appropriate tool to assess how a solicitor and a firm conduct cases if there are concerns expressed by clients or colleagues.
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Tailored approach
I write with reference to the letters from Charlotte Collier and Graeme Hydari (see [2009] Gazette, 2 July, 9).
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Setting the standard
I write with reference to the article by Catherine Baksi on the LSC’s proposed change of approach to quality assurance (‘LSC to abandon peer review’, [2009] Gazette, 9 July, 1).
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Compensation fund levy set for steep increase
The Law Society’s Council convenes next week to set the level of the compensation fund levy, with a steep increase on this year’s £150 now seemingly inevitable. A report circulated ahead of Wednesday’s meeting contains a recommendation from the Financial Protection Committee that the full contribution rate for 2009/10 be ...
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Legal Services Ombudsman criticises performance of regulator and complaints body
The Legal Services Ombudsman (LSO) has praised the work of her own department in her annual report, but criticised the performance of both the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Complaints Service. Zahida Manzoor (pictured) said her own department ‘has again performed to a very high ...
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Conveyancers asked to sign up to combined Santander panel
Conveyancing firms on the former Abbey and Alliance & Leicester (A&L) panels are being asked to sign up to a combined Santander UK panel with new terms and conditions. Following negotiations with the Law Society, a letter is being sent initially to all solicitors on the ...