All News articles – Page 1497
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News
Regulate all legal services says SRA
All legal services should come under a regulatory umbrella, the Solicitors Regulation Authority says today. In a response to the Legal Services Board’s consultation on reserved activities it calls for a fundamental review of regulation in England and Wales. The response says the LSB’s current approach ...
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The ‘doublethink’ of the government appears to posit one set of rules for the rich and another set for the poor
The editor of this journal visited Leningrad (as it then was) 30 years ago and it was a surreal experience. A monochrome city seemingly preserved in aspic, the (doubtless carefully vetted) citizens detailed to mind western tourists had but one topic of conversation: the indubitably heroic role of the Red ...
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Arbitration
Award - Appeal - Challenge to award on ground of serious irregularity Micoperi SrL v Shipowners' Mutual Protection & Indemnity Association (Luxembourg): Queen's Bench Division, Commercial Court (Mr Justice Burton): 21 October 2011 ...
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Land bank offence
Some solicitors will have become aware of ‘land banking’ operations over recent years. For those who are not aware, these involve a company buying a plot of agricultural land, setting up a scheme to make it look as though it has development potential, and then selling ‘plots’ at a huge ...
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Board shakeup at Chancery Lane
The Law Society has announced plans to streamline its executive leadership structure to ‘enable the organisation to strengthen its service provision’. Chancery Lane is creating three new senior roles that will be accountable for its representation work, professional services and internal operations. ...
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In-Deed set to buy high street firms
A property legal company has revealed its intention to buy up high street firms. In-Deed, launched this year by Rightmove founder Harry Hill (pictured), will use the £4.5m secured through an Alternative Investment Market flotation in June to secure ownership of high street firms, build its ...
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Cause for complaint
So far, my experience - as designated ‘complaints partner’ for my firm - of the role of the Legal Ombudsman in complaints-handling has been a positive one. However, I am now mystified as to how we should operate our future complaints-handling process.
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Service provision change rule could lead to employment law uncertainty and costly challenges
Reading the recent article ‘Clarke confirms legal aid tender move’, I wonder whether the potential implications of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) have been considered by Kenneth Clarke. It is possible that if a small number of firms are successful there may be a ...
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Review means family justice changes are needed
by Naomi Angell, co-chair of the family law committee of the Law Society The final report of the Family Justice Review published last week describes delays in public law as scandalous, with care proceedings taking on average over a year to complete and private law cases ...
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Whiplash compensation system 'open to fraud'
Three-quarters of healthcare professionals believe the current system of compensation for whiplash is open to fraud. A survey of more than 500 GPs, physiotherapists and consultants found widespread scepticism about the process of claiming after accidents. Almost 90% believe some whiplash ...
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News
Quality conscious
We write from a firm which, according to Mr Craig Holt, the chief executive of QualitySolicitors, is clearly less profitable, less efficient and about to be squeezed out of the market by his company. We have no doubt that Mr Holt knows his own business, but ...
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European Court of Human Rights reform may be supported
On Monday, the UK took over the political leadership of the body that runs the European Court of Human Rights. Last Friday, the UK’s judge in Strasbourg, Sir Nicolas Bratza, became president of the court. Will the Brits make a difference?
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Though cowards flinch, and traitors sneer
To One Great George Street in the heart of Westminster for ...
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Proceeds of crime
Unlawful conduct - Violent disorder - Costs - Civil recovery proceedings Gale and another v Serious Organised Crime Agency: SC (Lords Phillips (president), Brown, Mance, Judge, Clarke, Dyson, Reed): 26 October 2011 ...
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Extradition debate
Joshua Rozenberg’s analysis of the findings of the extradition review fails to mention one of the key grievances campaigners have against it - it found that there is no need to introduce the ‘forum bar’ to extradition into law.
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Domestic harmony
Laura Hodgson's article about the problems women and some other groups have in achieving senior roles quoted Baroness Hale, our only female Supreme Court judge. About 10-19% of City equity partners are female; not too different from the statistic for female membership of the cabinet. ...
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You don't have mail
A pigeon alights on Obiter’s window ledge with the news that tomorrow (11 November) is national no-email day. Web guru Paul Lancaster says the idea is not to abolish email but to ignore it for 24 hours and ‘do something more productive with the time saved’. This could simply involve ...
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Legal drinkers under siege
Never mind St Paul’s Cathedral, Obiter is more concerned about the possibility of ‘Occupy’ protests interrupting services at another London institution. The La Paquerette bistro is slap in the middle of Finsbury Square, currently a protest camp site. One legal firm has already emailed the Gazette to say it may ...
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Employment
Victimisation - Protected disclosure - Employees making protected disclosure - Employment Rights Act 1996 Fecitt and others v NHS Manchester: CA (Civ Div) (Lord Justices Mummery, Elias, Davis): 25 October 2011 ...