Latest news – Page 842
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Soft targets
Here we go again. A couple of years ago, it was ‘fat cat’ legal aid lawyers. Now our justice secretary is setting his sights on ‘irresponsible’ employment lawyers (see [2009] Gazette, 21 May, 1).
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Government undervalues professions, says study
The contribution of the professions to the UK is ‘comprehensively undervalued’, according to a new study commissioned by the Law Society and other professional bodies. The public interest in peril?, published this week, estimates that roughly 8% of ...
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Lovells reports decline in partner profit take
City firm Lovells has become the latest major firm to report a fall in profit per equity partner (PEP). The 11% dip, to £585,000 in 2008/09 from £661,000 in the previous 12 months, came after national firm Eversheds reported a 27% fall in PEP ...
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Tory human rights plan ‘could lead to departure from EU’
The UK could find itself parting company from the EU if Tory pledges to scrap the Human Rights Act (HRA) are carried through, the head of the Council of Europe has warned Conservative party activists. David Cameron has pledged to repeal the HRA, which since ...
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Legal aid firms campaign against CLAC plan
Legal aid firms in west London have formed a campaign group to fight proposals to set up a community legal advice centre (CLAC) in their area. SAGE – Solicitors Action Group for Ealing – has asked the London borough of Ealing to reconsider working with the ...
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New sole practitioners chairwoman promises to fight ‘frightening’ agenda
The newly elected chairwoman of the Sole Practitioners Group (SPG) has promised to fight the government’s ‘frightening, almost sinister agenda’ on funding and regulation. Sushila Abraham (pictured), of Surrey firm S Abraham Solicitors, told 180 delegates at the SPG’s annual conference that the group is ...
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Disabled claimant wins employment appeal tribunal decision
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has reasserted the right of disabled people to claim that an employer’s failure to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ is an act of disability discrimination.
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Indian competition watchdog enters uncharted territory
A shortage of competition case law and competition lawyers, and a ‘highly politicised’ appointments process, could stall India’s progress towards liberalisation of professional services – despite the establishment of its first competition watchdog, an expert on the Indian legal market has warned. Warsha Kalé, associate director ...
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MPs launch all-party legal aid group
MPs came together last night to launch an all-party parliamentary group on legal aid. The group's aim is to promote parliamentary and public understanding of the role of publicly funded legal services as a pillar of the welfare state and in reducing inequalities in society. ...
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Survey finds consumers sceptical about banks and supermarkets’ legal services
Consumers are ‘sceptical’ about banks and supermarkets providing legal services because they have concerns about the quality of work, according to a major opinion poll. A survey of public attitudes towards solicitors, commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and released this week, found that 69% ...
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First licensed conveyancer makes partner
Kent firm Stephens & Son has become the first solicitors’ practice to bring a licensed conveyancer into partnership. Alan Johnston (pictured), joint head of the property department, has been with the firm for 28 years. Stephens & Son now has five partners. Managing partner Jacqueline Shicluna ...
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Appeal court denies attempt to block publication of complaint details
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is considering the ramifications of a Court of Appeal decision to allow the magazine Private Eye to publish details of a complaint against former Law Society president Michael Napier. Napier, senior partner at Irwin Mitchell, had been seeking an injunction to stop publication of identifying details ...
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Straw hails virtual court pilot but Chancery Lane demurs
Justice secretary Jack Straw praised the virtual court process yesterday after the first two cases to use the technology were heard this week at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court in London. However, the Law Society marked the occasion by giving voice to its ‘grave concerns’ about the initiative. ...
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Revenues tumble at City giant Ashurst
Ashurst became the latest major firm to register the impact of the recession on its finances today, reporting a 7% fall in revenues to £301m for the year to April 30. The top 10 City firm did not release information on total profits or profit per ...
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Michael Napier steps down from Legal Services Board
Michael Napier QC today resigned from the Legal Services Board in the wake of last week’s high-profile Court of Appeal decision to allow magazine Private Eye to publish details of a complaint against him. The Irwin Mitchell senior partner said he would no longer be able to devote the ...
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Warning on the cards for 11,000 law firms
Solicitors in England and Wales are to be issued with warning cards to help prevent them becoming involved in fraudulent activity. The cards highlight four risk areas - property fraud, undertakings, fraudulent financial affairs and money laundering. They will be issued to 11,000 firms by the ...
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Eversheds reports 27% dip in equity partner profit
National firm Eversheds today became the second leading law firm to post financial results for 2008/09, reporting a 27% fall in average profits per equity partner (PEP) to £404,000. City firm CMS Cameron McKenna, the other firm to release results so far, also reported a fall in PEP. ...
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Biased system
Anyone reading the recent articles on judicial appointments by the Lord Chief Justice and the president of the Law Society might think that there were few barriers to attaining a fair system of making judicial appointments (see [2009] Gazette, 17 April, 10-11). This is simply not the case.
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Equal footing
I was pleased to read Tim Lawson-Cruttenden’s response to the ‘solicitor bashing’ faced by solicitor-advocates of late (see [2009] Gazette, 14 May, 10). It is about time someone fought their corner.
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The bigger picture
In his critique of the career of Lord Hoffmann (‘Judging the Judges’, 23 April), Joshua Rozenberg presents an incomplete picture of his role in the Pinochet litigation.