All News articles – Page 1524
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News
LSB recommends new powers for solicitors’ regulator ahead of ABSs
The Solicitor’s Regulation Authority will be given new powers to operate a single compensation fund for alternative business structures and non-ABSs, if parliament follows a recommendation made by the Legal Services Board yesterday. The LSB also recommends that the SRA should be able to charge non-ABS ...
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European Union is subject to Aarhus Convention, UN rules
Europe’s courts must stop barring citizens and non-governmental organisations (NGO) from challenging European Union decisions that affect the environment, a United Nations committee ruled last week.
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Lessons for lawyers in Northern Ireland from past lawyer ‘strikes’
Following the introduction last month of new fees for criminal legal aid work, solicitors in Northern Ireland have withdrawn their services in Crown court cases. Pearse MacDermott, executive member of the Solicitors Criminal Bar Association told the Gazette that the rates of pay for Crown court ...
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Law Society warns health select committee over CFA reforms
The Law Society today told MPs that the government’s reforms to litigation funding will cause ‘rejoicing in the boardrooms of insurance companies’. Chief executive Desmond Hudson appeared before the Health Select Committee to tell MPs that coalition government proposals go too far. ...
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Conveyancers council will authorise ABSs
The Legal Services Board has approved an application for the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures. With this approval, the CLC becomes the first ABS licensing authority. Its scope is limited to probate, ...
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Implications of new product placement regime for lawyers
On 28 February 2011, viewers of the This Morning breakfast show witnessed the first paid-for product placement on UK TV – the Dolce Gusto coffee machine. This cost Nescafé a reported £100,000, but what return on investment (ROI) did it generate, how was the price ...
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Landmark ruling on miscarriages of justice expected
Hundreds of people wrongly convicted of a serious crime will hear this week if they can make a fresh bid for compensation. Nine senior judges from the Supreme Court will decide the exact definition of a ‘miscarriage of justice’ in a landmark ruling expected tomorrow. ...
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Ethics, the public interest and regulation
by Dr Richard Willis, a historian and published author Law Society president Linda Lee pointed out in President’s Podium that the critical importance of legal ethics must not be sidelined as the market changes – opening up to greater competition with the licensing of Alternative Business ...
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Lawyers unaware of pro bono costs orders, charity warns
Legal charities are missing out on funding because the majority of lawyers are unaware of the existence of ‘pro bono costs’ orders, research has suggested. Where a civil case is won by a lawyer providing free legal representation, under Section 194 of the Legal Services Act ...
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How long will ABSs last?
History has a habit of repeating itself. Why do we never learn from previous experience? There are many good things. The introduction of non-lawyers to ownership is one following years of consideration. Some other factors are, however, doubtful in my ...
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Some ideas from the US for the new SRA Handbook
Here is my second attempt to analyse provisions of the new SRA Handbook. I am prompted to think about it again because the American Bar Association’s Ethics 20/20 Commission, which is looking at whether new ways of working need a change to ethics and regulation, ...
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Two new insurers set to enter solicitors’ PII market
Two new, A-rated insurers are poised to enter the professional indemnity insurance market, adding much-needed volume to a market that is again expected to be tough this year. Leading broker Richard Brown told the Sole Practitioners Conference in Harrogate yesterday that he is ‘90% of the ...
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Charging powers passed from CPS to police
The power to decide charges for those suspected of crimes will be passed from the Crown Prosecution Service to the police under plans announced by the home secretary today, in what she called a ‘radical leap forward for policing’. Theresa May said the Home Office will ...
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Barnardo’s issues warning over asbo repeal
A leading children’s charity this week warned of the dangers of government plans to repeal the anti-social behaviour order (asbo). The Home Office is currently consulting on its ‘More Effective Responses to Anti-Social Behaviour’ policy, which aims to give the police, courts and the community extra ...
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Stop the slaughter
Like many others, I am concerned about the government’s proposals on civil litigation costs. But I felt your call to arms, Join clients in the fight – Slaughter to be a step too far. Perhaps we should try negotiating first? ...
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A law unto itself
I fully endorse the comments of Michael Freeman, regarding the county court system failure in London. Under the Civil Procedure Rules, trial dates are supposed to be sacrosanct, yet my day-long case scheduled for the end of April was cancelled, causing additional expense and anxiety for ...
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Intellectual Property
Media and entertainment - Information technology - European Union R (on the application of (1) British Telecommunications Plc (2) Talktalk Telecom Group Plc) (Claimants) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Defendant) and BPI (British Recorded Music ...