Latest news – Page 736
-
News
Advocacy accreditation will be implemented ‘circuit by circuit’
The controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) will be implemented in stages, but there will be no pilot, it has emerged. A report to the Bar Standards Board indicated that consideration was being given to piloting of the scheme, which is due to ...
-
News
Letterhead change
Elizabeth Muirhead’s letter questions the need for firms to change their letterheads, websites and emails to say ‘authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority’ from 6 October, when our new Handbook and Code of Conduct come into effect. The reason for the change is to ...
-
News
Family bar warns of ‘bleak’ future at national meeting
Family barristers have warned of a ‘bleak’ future for family justice if the government’s legal aid cuts are implemented as planned. At a national meeting last weekend, the Family Law Bar Association said the reforms set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders ...
-
News
Claimants will ‘never see’ ten per cent damages uplift
Government plans to introduce a 10% uplift on general damages have again been called into question, amid concern that they are reliant on the co-operation of insurers. The increase, recommended by Lord Justice Jackson in his review of civil litigation costs, was intended in part to ...
-
News
Dundas & Wilson in merger talks
Edinburgh-headquartered Dundas & Wilson, one of Scotland’s so-called ‘big four’ law firms, has has begun merger talks with London-based Bircham Dyson Bell. In a joint statement released on Tuesday by the managing partners of each firm, the pair confirmed that talks have begun which may lead ...
-
News
ABSs ‘not attractive’ to City firms, new research suggests
City law firms do not generally see alternative business structures as attractive, because they are reluctant to cede control of the firm to source external funding that they do not need. This is one conclusion of the first of a series of studies looking at ...
-
News
Regulator considers ‘reflective approach’ on continuing professional development
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to commission research on continuing professional development schemes in other professions and internationally as part of its review of CPD, the Gazette has learned. The regulator said it will examine a range of schemes in use, including the more ‘reflective’ approach ...
-
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. ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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’. ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...
-
News
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 ...