All News articles – Page 1515
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News
Sentencing
Imprisonment - Length of sentence R v Scarth: Court of Appeal, Criminal Division (Lords Justice Pitchford, Wilkie, Mr Justice Holroyde (judgment delivered extempore)): 9 September 2011 The Court of Appeal, ...
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Sentencing
Non-custodial sentence - Suspended sentence Attorney General's Reference (No 64 of 2011); R v Crawford: Court of Appeal, Criminal Division (Lords Justice Pitchford, Wilkie and Mr Justice Holroyde (judgment delivered extempore)): 14 September 2011 ...
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Supermarket sweep?
Obiter-friend Michael Mansfield QC is a candidate in an arcane election that is due to ‘hot up’ in the next fortnight. We speak of the ‘Election for the Office of Chancellor’ at the University of Cambridge, which takes place on 14 and 15 October. Mansfield ...
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High street should embrace ABSs, says regulator
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has urged high street firms to be proactive and take advantage of opportunities presented by alternative business structures. The regulator’s executive director of supervision, risks and standards, Samantha Barrass, said the SRA hopes to start registering ABSs in December. ...
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‘First credible framework’ to analyse legal market
The Legal Services Board today unveiled what it described as the ‘first credible framework’ to analyse the changing legal services market. Consultancy Oxera was commissioned to help the board evaluate the impact of the Legal Services Act 2007 and the LSB itself. Its approach considers the ...
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Chancery Lane criticises bar’s ‘special pleading’
The Law Society has voiced concern about the Criminal Bar Association’s intention to approach the judiciary with its fears about the controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA). A Law Society spokesman said: ‘It is surprising that the bar should seek to involve the senior judiciary ...
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Greenwich law centre on the brink
Greenwich Community Law Centre is facing closure after the local council axed its funding. The London borough’s cabinet decided last week to discontinue an annual grant of nearly £200,000. Cash will instead be set aside for the provision of legal advice by Citizens Advice, Greenwich Housing ...
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Cohabitants should have scope for financial redress, says Chancery Lane
The Law Society has called for legislation to provide financial redress for cohabiting couples in the event of relationship breakdown. President John Wotton expressed disappointment at the government’s refusal to consider changing the law to protect cohabitants in the current parliamentary session. ...
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India's legal market set for reform
India’s £2.6bn legal services market moved a step closer to full liberalisation this week when professional bodies agreed a 'road map' for reform. Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke, the Law Society and the Bar Council spent three days in Delhi speaking with Indian lawyers, ministers and officials, ...
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Watchdog’s warning on trading standards
Deep funding cuts to Trading Standards could see legal services neglected and leave consumers exposed to rogue operators, watchdog the Legal Services Consumer Panel has warned. The ‘level of detriment’ that could result and the impact on consumer confidence would make savings from slashing funding ...
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Barristers get green light to take ‘direct action’
The Bar Council and Criminal Bar Association believe it would be lawful for them to take direct action to protect members’ interests, it has emerged.
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Solicitors can take technology into police custody areas
Solicitors have been given permission to take mobile phones and laptop computers into police custody areas, under an agreement reached between the Law Society and Association of Chief Police Officers. New guidance adopted by all forces in England and Wales provides that: ‘Unless there is good ...
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Implementing Jackson - who’s making the decisions?
As the legislation to implement Lord Justice Jackson’s reforms of civil litigation costs negotiates its passage through parliament, work on the implementation of the changes continues apace. There have been rumblings from claimant lawyers that Jackson’s 10% increase in general damages - designed to compensate for ...
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New M&A support service for law firms launches
360 Legal Group, which has over 700 UK law firm members, has joined forces with legal recruiters Jepson Holt Consulting to launch new venture 360 Jepson Holt. The latter will offer what it claims to be the first comprehensive legal M&A support service, from pre-merger assessment ...
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Right to a lawyer: UK’s wrecking proposal
The debate on the European Unions’s proposed directive on the right to a lawyer at all stages of criminal proceedings is hotting up. The Gazette covered the recent parliamentary motion tabled by the government where the justice secretary recommended that the UK opt out of the draft directive. The motion ...
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Legal issues arising from prisoners’ segregation
Several recent cases have considered the legality of segregating prisoners and the safeguards to be implemented to ensure that segregated prisoners’ rights are adequately protected and that the lawfulness of their segregation is properly reviewed. The challenges to the legality of the disciplinary or review procedures have served to clarify ...
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Will the Dowlers make a difference?
Could this finally be the day that the government’s civil litigation costs reforms get the scrutiny they deserve? The letter sent by the family of Milly Dowler to prime minister David Cameron changes the picture completely. They claim that without the ‘no ...
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Dowler family urges PM to halt ‘no win, no fee’ reforms
The family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler has written to David Cameron urging him to block ‘unjust and unfair’ civil justice reforms. In an open letter to the prime minister and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, the family said the reforms would ‘significantly weaken’ the ‘no ...
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Lawyers2you franchise launch highlights lack of marketing and client care skills
I am delighted that the recent story about the Lawyers2you franchise launch by Blakemores has sparked debate.
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New law franchise targets 600 firms
Another national law firm franchise formally launches today, designed to help firms compete against cut-price and ‘faceless’ providers which operate online and through call centres. Face2face solicitors, set up by solicitor Ray Gordon (pictured), is targeting smaller firms and startups, offering reduced overheads and ...