Latest news – Page 739
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News
Crown Prosecution Service misdirection
The government has no money. Legal aid is under threat. The Law Society strategy for savings takes a broader view of the legal system than government is capable of doing because of departmental and executive agency demarcations. As a result, ...
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Fees in deep freeze
I long ago came to the conclusion that the last government did not like solicitors, presumably because we were the point of contact for members of the public who were dissatisfied with the actions of the executive and wished to turn to the judiciary for redress. ...
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Get off the bandwagon
Should you really be congratulating Lawrence Davies in Lawyer in the News for jumping on the political correctness bandwagon, championing the rights of a Mexican national with a sense-of-humour failure? My own experience of the profession is that too many members take themselves too seriously. ...
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Legal small-business bashing?
Ken Clarke should not judge all lawyers by the standards of the few. Perhaps the statute-chasing, ambulance-following, human rights adherents he so loathes are indeed lurking in huddles just waiting to make millions out of every piece of small business-crushing legislation created by the 1,300 ...
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A professional menace
Paul Davidoff’s letter strikes a chord with me. The problem of poorly drafted wills (whether made by solicitors or unqualified individuals) is of general application. Where I differ from Mr Davidoff, however, is in his reference to Will Aid, where the implication is that these ...
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Landmark judgment highlights retainer letter lapse
A High Court judge warned solicitors of the need to be clear in retainer letters, as he ruled that a firm had breached its contract by refusing to carry out further work for a client until he had paid his bills, in a ...
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UK borders ‘less secure’, say Home Office immigration staff
UK immigration staff charged with policing the nation’s borders believe that borders have become less secure as a result of government changes to immigration law, Home Office research has indicated. A study ...
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National Approved Letting Scheme quality mark deal
Landlord and tenant solicitors can become affiliated to the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS), following an agreement with the Law Society announced this week. NALS represents landlords ...
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Mediator shortage looms, says family lawyers' group
Separating couples may ‘escape’ the new requirement to consult a mediator before going to court because of a shortage of properly accredited mediators, family lawyers’ group Resolution has suggested. The group’s chair Dave Allison also warned there was a risk that members of the public may ...
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Insurers back Law Society call to scrap ARP
The insurance industry has lent its support to the Law Society’s proposal for an alternative to the assigned risks pool (ARP), as a Solicitors Regulation Authority consultation on reforms to the professional indemnity insurance (PII) market closed this week.
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'Frightened’ Bradford solicitor paid out money ‘under duress’
A Bradford solicitor who claimed she had been threatened and forced to pay out £520,000 of clients’ money under duress was suspended from practice by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last week. Taslim Khan, 41, of Rasool Solicitors, in Dewsbury, west Yorkshire, admitted improperly withdrawing clients’ money, ...
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Sir Geoffrey Bindman joins Iran protest
High-profile human rights solicitor Sir Geoffrey Bindman spoke in support of democracy at a protest against the Iranian government last week, organised by the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran. Bindman said: ‘Change is coming in the Middle East, and that would include the liberation of ...
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US courts warned over share actions
The US must not allow its courts to accept ‘f-cubed’ cases, where foreign investors can sue foreign companies after they lose money on shares bought on foreign stock exchanges, City lawyers have warned. In a joint response to a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) consultation, ...
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EU lawmakers warned over contract harmonisation
The government has told EU lawmakers that they should not legislate to harmonise European contract laws because there is a ‘paucity of evidence’ that a problem exists. In its response to a European Commission consultation on the issue, the Ministry of Justice said that the commission ...
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Allen & Overy advises on Tesco deal, oil acquisition, issuing capital notes and cross-border advice
Every little helps: Magic circle firm Allen & Overy advised a consortium of banks on arranging Tesco’s £685m commercial mortgage-backed bond issue, designed to release value from its UK property portfolio. City firm Berwin Leighton Paisner advised Tesco.
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Law Society opens its Diversity Access Scheme
The Law Society has opened applications for its Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), aimed at law students facing social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualification. The scheme involves the chance to gain a Legal Practice Course scholarship, work experience and mentoring. Previous ...
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NatWest to withdraw LPC study loan product
A decision by NatWest to cease offering preferential loans to students studying the Legal Practice Course has prompted concerns over access to the profession. NatWest, owned by Royal Bank of Scotland, is currently the only bank to offer loans under a Professional Trainee Loan scheme for ...
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Maximum ABS penalties raised to £250m
Alternative business structures (ABS) that step out of line could face a maximum fine £100m higher than previously expected, after the Legal Services Board decided to increase the maximum penalty for errant ABS to £250m. Responding to a consultation on the issue, the LSB said it ...
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SRA launches online registration for students
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has today launched an online service that will make it quicker and easier for students to enrol with it when they begin their legal professional training. The system will also enable students to pay their enrolment fee securely online by ...
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TV Edwards to merge with Blacklaws Davis
High profile London legal aid firms TV Edwards and Blacklaws Davis are to merge on 1 May 2011, they said today. On 1 April 2011 London criminal law and care work firm Dundons will also merge with ...