Latest news – Page 693
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Independent costs regulator opens for business
Costs lawyers now have an independent regulator to uphold professional standards. The Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB) formally took up its duties on 31 October after the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) delegated its regulatory role. The association is the sixth and final approved regulator set ...
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The Co-operative to offer family law service
The Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) is to offer a family law service spearheaded by leading family lawyers from London firm TV Edwards in the first move by a high street brand into the sector. Christina Blacklaws (pictured), Law Society council member for child care and ...
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Legal aid cuts 'threat' to domestic violence victims
Cuts to legal aid will create a further barrier for women trying to leave violent relationships and could lead to more deaths, the Women’s Institute has warned. The institute published a report, Legal Aid is a Lifeline, this week as the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment ...
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Law firm wins ‘freedom’ battle over non-panel rates
A London law firm has won a High Court battle against three legal expenses insurers in a judgment that may have significant ramifications for claimant lawyers acting for clients with legal expenses insurance (LEI) when the firm is not on the insurer’s panel. Webster Dixon won ...
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Trust judges on sentencing, says Law Society
The Law Society has criticised plans to extend mandatory life sentences, telling the government to trust judges’ discretion. The new regime, which would replace the indeterminate sentencing system with long determinate prison terms and mandatory life sentences for anyone convicted of a second serious sexual or violent crime, was announced ...
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Court workers opposed to extended opening hours
The union representing court workers has voiced opposition to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke’s wish to extend opening hours. Clarke told the House of Commons home affairs committee last week that the government is considering more evening sittings, following the extension of court hours to deal ...
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Blacklaws joins Co-operative in family law coup
The Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) is to offer a family law service spearheaded by leading family lawyers from London firm TV Edwards in the first move by a high street brand into the sector, the Gazette can reveal. Christina Blacklaws, Law Society council member for child care and TV Edwards ...
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Scott Baker review lacks vital ingredient that would have served it best - humanity
As one of the ‘NatWest Three’, I have first-hand experience of the workings and impact of the Extradition Act, to which Joshua Rozenberg refers.
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A wider problem
The case of Gary McKinnon and the unpopular US/UK treaty dominated coverage of the extradition review in the mainstream press. So it made a pleasant change to read Joshua Rozenberg’s piece in the Gazette. While I share concerns about the treatment Mr McKinnon might face if extradited, the problems with ...
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Credit where it’s due
Down here in West Sussex they don’t do rioting, but if they did I am confident that the criminal defence fraternity would have stepped into the breach and ensured representation for all those who needed it. And not just because they did need it, but because that would be the ...
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Clarification
Two articles appeared in the 6 and 13 October 2011 editions of the Gazette, which contained a number of assertions concerning the arrangements employed by Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance plc (‘RSA’) for recovery of charges relating to repair of motor vehicles from other insurers.
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‘Whole generation’ of lawyers could disappear post-LASPO
Government proposals to slash legal aid have passed through the Commons, amid suggestions the legislation will wipe out specialist lawyers. The bill will now move to the Lords, following a heated debate during which opposition MPs also rejected the suggestion that lawyers are only interested in self-preservation. ...
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Guarded welcome for family justice review
Lawyers and judges have welcomed proposals to end the ‘culture of delay’ in the family justice system, published in the Family Justice Review’s final report. One of the key recommendations of the review panel, chaired by David Norgrove, is to set a statutory six-month limit on ...
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Straw’s bid to make referral fees a criminal offence fails
Conservative MPs have voted down Jack Straw’s attempt to make referral fees in personal injury cases a criminal offence. The former justice secretary tabled an amendment to the ban, included as part of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which was debated in ...
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Jackson: civil justice reforms are balanced
‘Lawyers leave no stone unturned when it comes to arguing about costs,’ the architect of the civil justice reforms being introduced by government said this week.
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PI lawyers hit back at media critics
Personal injury lawyers have criticised elements of the media for suggesting a multi-million pound compensation bill for councils is the fault of claimants. Press critics were quick to blame the so-called compensation culture after it was revealed that local authorities had paid out £75m to ...
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DLA Piper invests in ABS venture
A new entrant is set to launch on the UK legal sector in 2012 with financial backing from international firm DLA Piper. The firm has become the joint largest shareholder in holding company LawVest, although the size of the investment remains secret. ...
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Sole practitioners in last stand against ABSs
The Solicitor Sole Practitioners Group (SPG) will this week stage a last-ditch attempt to block legislation allowing the creation of alternative business structures. The group, which represents 4,500 solicitors across England and Wales, claims it is still possible to prevent so-called ‘Tesco law’ from coming into force. ...
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Referral fee ban will hit PI claimants - says MoJ assessment
Personal injury claimants could suffer from a ban on referral fees while insurers and lawyers would incur no extra costs, according to the government department proposing the ban. An impact assessment of the proposed ban, published today by the Ministry of Justice, admits that ‘overall claimants ...
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Record fall in applications for university law degrees
The biggest fall in university applications in more than 30 years has seen the number of candidates applying to study law drop by a record 5.2%, according to figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. Last year 13,858 people applied to study law ...