All News articles – Page 1518
-
News
ABSs ‘not attractive’ to City firms, new research suggests
City law firms do not generally see alternative business structures as attractive, because they are reluctant to cede control of the firm to source external funding that they do not need. This is one conclusion of the first of a series of studies looking at ...
-
News
Dundas & Wilson in merger talks
Edinburgh-headquartered Dundas & Wilson, one of Scotland’s so-called ‘big four’ law firms, has has begun merger talks with London-based Bircham Dyson Bell. In a joint statement released on Tuesday by the managing partners of each firm, the pair confirmed that talks have begun which may lead ...
-
News
Lib Dems call for legal aid to be retained in benefits appeals
The Liberal Democrats have condemned the cuts to legal aid for welfare benefits appeals. At its autumn conference, the party called on the government to retain legal aid for people appealing welfare benefit decisions, and voted through a motion condemning the government’s welfare reform plans. ...
-
News
Law Society announces Excellence Awards shortlist
The Law Society has today unveiled the shortlist of lawyers and firms nominated for this year’s Excellence Awards. The 17 awards recognise outstanding achievement by legal professionals at firms of all sizes across England and Wales, in categories ranging from community investment to client service, with ...
-
News
Regulator considers ‘reflective approach’ on continuing professional development
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to commission research on continuing professional development schemes in other professions and internationally as part of its review of CPD, the Gazette has learned. The regulator said it will examine a range of schemes in use, including the more ‘reflective’ approach ...
-
News
New solicitor training model could shake up the City
A groundbreaking solicitor training model has launched this week, targeting City law firms and in-house legal departments. The first non-legal service provider to be authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to take on trainees, Acculaw claims it will cut costs and improve efficiency for firms looking ...
-
News
Community sentences are no soft option
The prison population has reached a record high of 87,120, according to figures released on Friday by the Ministry of Justice. But does being tough on crime mean offenders have to go to prison, or are community sentences and reparation actually tougher? And are the latter ...
-
News
EU-wide training: the impossible dream
What would you do if you had to draw up a plan for training 1.4 million legal personnel in European Union law in 27 member states? You would either run for the exit, or make a hopeful start somewhere.
-
News
LSC ‘performed strongly’ in 2010/11, says MoJ
The departing chief executive of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) cut the organisation’s running costs by 11% in 2010/11. Carolyn Downs achieved a £15m underspend on the organisation’s £135m administrative budget, through ‘targeted efficiency savings generated in year against staff, estates and costs’. ...
-
News
Decisive actions are needed in changing times
Despite the delay in the regulation to license alternative business structures and the full implementation of the Legal Services Act, it is imperative that law firms decide now what direction their firm is planning to take. We can categorise the profession simply into three areas; the ...
-
News
Clarke likens ABS revolution to financial ‘Big Bang’ of 1986
Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke has predicted that the advent of alternative business structures could have as dramatic an impact on legal services as the so-called ‘Big Bang’ of 1986 had on the financial sector. Speaking this morning at a conference on promoting UK legal services ...
-
News
A return to articles of clerkship would help solve the access problem
I was amused to read Michael Robinson’s letter suggesting a solicitor apprenticeship as a way of reducing the cost of training. What he describes is virtually a return to the articles of clerkship, through which I and countless other solicitors entered the profession until entry was restricted to graduates some ...
-
News
Flaws in the quality assurance scheme for advocates threaten the criminal justice system
It is over five years since a single, late, unconsulted, unevidenced sentence in Lord Carter’s report on legal aid recommended that there should be a quality assurance scheme for advocates. Since then, groups from the bar, Law Society, judiciary and the Legal Services Commission have been arguing about exactly what ...
-
News
Why was Jack Straw unable to move against referral fees when in office?
Did Jack Straw’s late intervention spell the end for personal injury referral fees? That the government changed its view last week is a good thing. Even many lawyers who gained instructions via such arrangements remained deeply discomfited by their existence. So ...
-
News
Environmental considerations are rising up the law firm management agenda
Environmental issues have steadily climbed up law firms’ agendas. As corporates seek to capitalise on both consumers’ growing awareness of the need to save the planet, and government incentives on the environment, solicitors, as part of their clients’ supply chain, are responding by boosting their own green credentials.
-
News
Legal aid cuts: the fight goes on
Campaign groups have vowed to continue their fight against the government’s legal aid cuts, following the rejection of opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill by a committee of MPs. The Public Bill Committee, charged with scrutinising the proposals, last week ...
-
News
Decision to allow television broadcasting in court is not backed by sufficient research
by Paul Lambert, a lecturer in law at the National University of Ireland, Galway The government’s plan to overturn the ban on cameras in the courtroom was broadly (if sometimes cautiously) welcomed, but it is problematic.
-
News
Lucy Scott-Moncrieff among AWS award winners
Law Society vice-president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff was named best woman solicitor in a legal aid practice at the Association of Women Solicitors (AWS) third annual awards ceremony held in London last week. She is pictured (centre) with AWS chairwoman Joy Van Cooten (right) and award judge ...
-
News
Arbitration
Award - Enforcement - Freezing order - Claimant appealing Mobile Telesystems Finance SA v Nomihold Securities Inc: CA (Civ Div) (Lord Justices Ward, Tomlinson): 1 September 2011 The claimant company, ...
-
News
Keep cameras away from court
I read with interest that John Ryley, head of Sky News, wrote to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke calling for court proceedings to be televised. While Mr Ryley is to be applauded for his concern for our justice system, to what extent the demands placed on him ...