All News articles – Page 1544
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Jurisdiction
Minor - Mirror orders - Malaysian court regulating rights of contact of child - Whether English court has jurisdiction to make orders W v W (minor) (mirror order): Court of Appeal, Civil Division: 17 June 2011 ...
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A man of Straw
As personal injury lawyers, we think it is a great shame and totally unfair that so many lawyers are criticising Jack Straw for discovering the existence of referral fees in 2011. After all, why should we expect the former justice secretary to be aware that ...
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Selective memory
Politicians often accuse the press of quoting selectively. But it seems journalists are not the only ones to indulge in the practice. In a recent consultation on speeding up justice in the county courts, justice secretary Kenneth Clarke outlined the ...
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Top-100 firms concerned by Legal Services Act reforms
Top law firms are coming under increasing pressure from clients to reduce fees, a poll has revealed, while a growing number fear that Legal Services Act reforms will pose a risk to profits. Finance directors from the top-100 UK firms, surveyed by legal information provider Sweet ...
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Call for political involvement in judicial appointments
Political involvement in the appointment of judges is needed to bring about a more diverse judiciary, a leading academic told a House of Lords constitution committee inquiry into the fairness and effectiveness of the present judicial appointments system today. Experts also said suggested that widening the ...
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Society calls for safeguards in bail legislation
The Law Society has urged the home secretary to consider safeguards to the emergency bail legislation about to go through parliament to prevent abuse of the bail system by police. The emergency legislation has been prompted by a High Court ruling in the case of murder ...
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Olswang to draft code of conduct for News of the World owner
Media law firm Olswang has been drafted in by News International to draw up a new code of conduct, it has confirmed. The media organisation, which owns the ...
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Clifford Chance partner profits top £1m
Profits per equity partner (PEP) at magic circle firm Clifford Chance have topped £1m for the first time since the recession. The end-of-year figures released today by the Canary Wharf-based firm showed revenues were up for the last financial year to £1.22bn, up just 2% on ...
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What you don’t know about your clients
The Legal Services Board’s independent consumer panel has produced some good research in their recently published Tracker Survey 2011. These results build on the ideas about how to use research in my blog post from February, ‘Consumer research: will it tell you all?’.
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Walmart’s class action lawsuit
In a decision favorable to employers, the US Supreme Court has held in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v Dukes that the lower court improperly certified a massive class action lawsuit. Specifically, the Court found that the plaintiffs failed to prove that their allegations of discrimination were ...
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Legal Ombudsman publishes complaints against firms
The Legal Ombudsman has begun publishing anonymous case studies as part of a drive to improve client service and complaints-handling by law firms. The published complaints have been broken down into areas of law. Complaints revealed so far include a criminal defendant ...
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Government will not remove police station advice, Djanogly pledges
The government has no intention of removing legal help from people detained at police stations, justice minister Jonathan Djanogly confirmed today. Speaking at the Legal Action Group’s conference in London, he said that although the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill would enable the ...
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Human rights lawyers warn against CFA reform
High-profile cases against multinational corporations may have to be scrapped under the government’s new litigation regime, lawyers suggested today. Human rights lawyers warned they will not be able to afford to take on as many cases in the world’s poorest countries without the Conditional Fee Arrangement ...
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Society formally urges Clarke to ban referral fees
The Law Society has written to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke urging him to act immediately to ban referral fees, after he revealed last week that he is ‘considering’ the issue. Society president Linda Lee said she had met with Clarke and minister for employment Chris Grayling ...
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And you think you’ve got problems
If you can bear to tear yourself away from contemplation of justice cuts in the UK, here is a story of justice cuts in the richest country on earth. We are becoming poorer in the West, loaded with debts from living beyond our means, while ...
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Conveyancing Quality Scheme applications pass 1,000
The Law Society has received more than 1,000 applications for its Conveyancing Quality Scheme, it said today. Some 1,034 applications have been submitted since the scheme opened in January, and 317 have been accredited so far. Law Society president Linda Lee ...
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Companies warned over Bribery Act
Companies have been warned there will be no ‘grace period’ after the Bribery Act comes into force from today. Strict new rules will reform the antiquated UK laws and clamp down on the bribery of public officials and corporate executives. Individuals found ...
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The Bribery Act: were businesses ready?
The Bribery Act is a significant piece of legislation in the UK’s battle against corruption both at home and abroad, and has potential implications for all businesses, across all sectors in the UK. The Act came into force today, the 1 July 2011. ...
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Our analysis of the legal aid and sentencing bill
A close reading of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill has left many lawyers, campaign groups and politicians who support the legal aid system more worried than ever about future provision. Even though the government decided to rush to a second reading ...