Latest news – Page 702
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News
Lib Dems call for legal aid to be retained in benefits appeals
The Liberal Democrats have condemned the cuts to legal aid for welfare benefits appeals. At its autumn conference, the party called on the government to retain legal aid for people appealing welfare benefit decisions, and voted through a motion condemning the government’s welfare reform plans. ...
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New solicitor training model could shake up the City
A groundbreaking solicitor training model has launched this week, targeting City law firms and in-house legal departments. The first non-legal service provider to be authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to take on trainees, Acculaw claims it will cut costs and improve efficiency for firms looking ...
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Law Society announces Excellence Awards shortlist
The Law Society has today unveiled the shortlist of lawyers and firms nominated for this year’s Excellence Awards. The 17 awards recognise outstanding achievement by legal professionals at firms of all sizes across England and Wales, in categories ranging from community investment to client service, with ...
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LSC ‘performed strongly’ in 2010/11, says MoJ
The departing chief executive of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) cut the organisation’s running costs by 11% in 2010/11. Carolyn Downs achieved a £15m underspend on the organisation’s £135m administrative budget, through ‘targeted efficiency savings generated in year against staff, estates and costs’. ...
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UK ‘unattractive’ to foreign legal high-flyers
The government’s commitment to reducing net migration to the UK will do long-term damage to the competitiveness of UK law firms and inhibit their ability to develop business internationally, the Law Society’s immigration law committee (ILC) has warned. Law firms have told the ILC that, under ...
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Santander makes Conveyancing Quality Scheme mandatory
Santander has become the first lender to make membership of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme mandatory for firms applying to be on its conveyancing panel. The bank reopened its panel to new members in August, with the introduction of a £199 application fee. A Santander spokesman confirmed that CQS ...
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Clarke to promote UK legal services
Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke was preparing to update City lawyers on the government’s blueprint for promoting UK legal services abroad as the Gazette went to press. He was expected to reiterate the government’s opposition to European contract law harmonisation and reassure foreign markets that alternative ...
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Legal aid cuts: the fight goes on
Campaign groups have vowed to continue their fight against the government’s legal aid cuts, following the rejection of opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill by a committee of MPs. The Public Bill Committee, charged with scrutinising the proposals, last week ...
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LSC chief’s exit worries lawyer groups
Lawyers have paid tribute to departing Legal Services Commission (LSC) chief executive Carolyn Downs, following the announcement that she is leaving to take up a senior role in local government. Downs took over as chief executive of the LSC in March 2010 on secondment from the ...
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Lucy Scott-Moncrieff among AWS award winners
Law Society vice-president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff was named best woman solicitor in a legal aid practice at the Association of Women Solicitors (AWS) third annual awards ceremony held in London last week. She is pictured (centre) with AWS chairwoman Joy Van Cooten (right) and award judge ...
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Vickers review puts lawyers centre stage
Banks’ legal and compliance departments are expected to grow with the implementation of reforms recommended this week by the Independent Commission on Banking, chaired by Sir John Vickers (pictured). The centre of power for corporate counsel will be located firmly on the retail side and ...
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A return to articles of clerkship would help solve the access problem
I was amused to read Michael Robinson’s letter suggesting a solicitor apprenticeship as a way of reducing the cost of training. What he describes is virtually a return to the articles of clerkship, through which I and countless other solicitors entered the profession until entry was restricted to graduates some ...
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Keep cameras away from court
I read with interest that John Ryley, head of Sky News, wrote to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke calling for court proceedings to be televised. While Mr Ryley is to be applauded for his concern for our justice system, to what extent the demands placed on him ...
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A costly word
All firms must by 6 October alter their paper and all else to state ‘authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority’, we are reminded by Charles Plant in the Gazette of 8 September. How many hours did this decision consume? How many hours will be ...
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Distorted portrayal
The Gazette report of my speech last week to the Westminster Legal Policy Forum was a distorted portrayal of the views I expressed. I was not referring to ‘ABS licensing’ as a shambles, and nor were my remarks directed specifically at the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
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Clarke likens ABS revolution to financial ‘Big Bang’ of 1986
Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke has predicted that the advent of alternative business structures could have as dramatic an impact on legal services as the so-called ‘Big Bang’ of 1986 had on the financial sector. Speaking this morning at a conference on promoting UK legal services ...
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Bid to exempt Trafigura-type claims from reform fails
Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs have rejected an amendment to legislation that would exempt claims brought by foreigners against UK multinationals from civil litigation reforms. The Public Bill Committee debated the amendment to the Legal Aid, Punishment of Offenders and Sentencing Bill, tabled by Labour ...
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Straw in line of fire over referral fee bill
Lawyers and medical experts have hit back at Jack Straw over comments he made yesterday while seeking to persuade MPs to criminalise PI referral fees. The former justice secretary introduced a ten-minute rule bill outlining proposals to make offering referral fees for victims’ details a criminal ...
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Chancery Lane strikes new deal for cheaper indemnity insurance
Firms with Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) and Lexcel accreditation will be able to take advantage of reduced professional indemnity insurance premiums, following a deal agreed between the Law Society and broker Hera Indemnity. Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: ‘There has been anecdotal evidence that Lexcel can reduce ...
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Commons rejects Brussels proposal for EU-wide rights for suspects
MPs have voted against a proposal to safeguard the rights of suspects detained at police stations across Europe to have access to lawyer. Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke tabled a motion last week recommending that the UK should not opt into a draft European Union directive that ...