All News articles – Page 1292
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News
Positive discrimination in judiciary faces struggles
The appointment of three ‘top judges’ attracted predictably little press attention last week, even though Lord Justice Hughes, Lord Justice Toulson and Lord Hodge will make up a quarter of the Supreme Court. Perhaps that is a good sign; it suggests the public has no reason to doubt that the ...
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Immigration debate has shifted from a meaningful exchange of ideas
There is a deficit of meaningful dialogue in the immigration debate. Despite unprecedented access to countless news sources, rich information and varied points of view, we often tend to only consume our favourite flavour of opinion. Partly because of the explosion of online media and the ...
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We are witnessing the triumph of ideology and cynicism
News that the army’s most senior legal officer during the Iraq war has signed a letter to the Daily Mail from hundreds of lawyers opposing secret courts (tinyurl.com/cnxcazg) raises a curious prospect. If there were a military coup in this country, we would be moving to the Left (apologies to ...
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Criminal defence tendering: a tipping point
In a surprise move, Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, has announced an accelerated timetable for the Ministry of Justice’s plans to introduce price-competitive tendering for criminal defence services. Having decimated civil legal aid and savaged the practice of personal injury lawyers, the ministry has now seemingly ...
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Santander sets conveyancing panel deadline
Conveyancing firms that have not applied for the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) by 28 March will be removed from Santander’s panel, the bank has confirmed. In September last year, the bank announced that existing, as well as new, firms on its residential conveyancing panel ...
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Contempt of court
Committal – Breach of undertaking McCann and another v Bennett: Queen's Bench Division: 21 February 2013 The parents of Madeline McCann sought the committal of the defendant for contempt by ...
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Loos ruling conference
The Court of Justice of the European Union will be holding a day of reflection to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Van Gend en Loos judgment (delivered on 5 February 1963). During the event, to be held in Luxembourg on 13 May, the judgment will ...
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In conflict with clients
The Jackson reforms undermine the most important principle of achieving fairness for victims of injustice. That is to ensure that the victim is returned to the position they would have been in but for the wrongdoing. Damages-based agreements will permit a direct deduction from damages. ...
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News
Holes in your client experience?
Whatever your marketing budget, it is important to ensure that every enquiry is handled efficiently and effectively in order to maximise the proportion which are converted to an instruction. An enquiry can pass through many parts of your firm (website, reception, secretaries and other lawyers) before ...
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Civil litigation reform: lawlessness and rogue professionals
by Katy Manley, president of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association Lord Neuberger, president of the Supreme Court, warned this week of the risk of lawlessness as a result of the government cuts in civil litigation funding being introduced in the Legal Aid Sentencing & Punishment of ...
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High Court throws out RTA fees cut challenge
The High Court today threw out a challenge to a new fees regime expected to cost personal injury firms £200m a year. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the Motor Accident Solicitors Society were challenging a decision by the Ministry of Justice to cut ...
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Getting into Cambridge
Here’s a nice statement of confidence in these difficult times. National law firm Mills & Reeve has moved into prestigious new headquarters in Cambridge, following the completion of a £2.45m office fit-out. Botanic House, a seven-storey office development, stands between the city’s historic core and the railway station.
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Chancery Lane bench mark
Employment tribunal chair Colin Goodyear welcomed prospective judges to an event in Birmingham last week held to promote the Law Society’s Solicitor Judge Division. Last year, Goodyear was widely reported in the press for ordering Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust to award Stafford Hospital solicitor Kate ...
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Honoured solicitors with a cross to bear
Say what you like about the honours system, but at least one branch of it has an anti-establishment dash. None of the three solicitors granted honorary silk-ship this week could remotely be described as buggins-turn time-servers. Eileen Carroll, admitted as a solicitor in 1981, ...
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Strictly for solicitors (and barristers)
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood (don’t pretend you haven’t heard of him) will be casting his trademark critical eye over the best rug-cutters in the legal world next month. He’ll be on the celebrity judging panel at Murder on the Dance Floor, an ...
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Bar calls on the LSB to tighten its belt
The Bar Council has publicly attacked the Legal Services Board for appearing immune from financial pressures affecting the legal profession and government departments. In a response to the LSB’s business plan for 2013/14, the bar body said it had concerns over the costs and scope of ...
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Society and bar pledge to work together on contract terms
The Law Society and the Bar Council have issued a joint statement on the controversial standard contractual terms of business between barristers and solicitors, marking a detente between the two branches of the profession. The new contractual terms took effect from 31 January, replacing the commonly ...
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‘Litigant in person’ back as judges U-turn on terminology
Unrepresented litigants should be referred to as ‘litigants in person’ (LiPs) rather than ‘self-represented litigants’ in all criminal, family and civil courts, the master of the rolls has directed in practice guidance. Lord Dyson’s decision changes a recommendation by the Civil Justice Council last November suggesting ...
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SRA joins attack on ‘poorly informed’ Legal Services Board
The Legal Services Board stands accused of partiality and incompetence in the latest attack from a regulator.
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Negligence claim fears over ATE insurance
Solicitors have been warned they could face professional negligence claims if their client cannot secure after-the-event insurance before civil litigation reforms come in to force on 1 April. ATE insurers have told the Gazette they have been ‘inundated’ with law firms trying to secure cover while ...