All News articles – Page 1602
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News
SRA takes first steps in review of training and education
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has invited contractors to undertake its ‘fundamental’ review of the legal education and training system for lawyers in England and Wales. The SRA said that the review is designed ‘to ensure that the ethical standards and levels of competence of ...
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95 not out
A 95-year-old solicitor has just received his 70th consecutive practising certificate, Obiter has learned. Leslie Black (pictured), a consultant at Merseyside firm Black Norman, was admitted in 1941 and has run a thriving litigation, company and commercial, wills and probate, and licensing practice ever since. ‘Is he working today?’ Obiter ...
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It’s not all about the marketing
Here we are then, 2011, the year of the alternative business structure. If you don’t believe that implementation of the Legal Services Act will have a major impact on the legal market then don’t bother reading on, as nothing I can say will change your mind and neither will ...
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Why not run a separate compensation fund for ABSs?
With alternative business structures due in 2011, the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority’s fitness-to-own test is likely to be tested. The attraction of law firms and client account to organised criminals cannot be underestimated.
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Website pioneers advice auction
A Cheshire solicitor has launched a website giving legal advice over the internet to members of the public, who can decide how much they want to pay for it. The site, www.expert-answers.co.uk, was created by property partner James Mather at Ellesmere Port firm Berkson Wallace.
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Join the new legal aid LinkedIn group
The Gazette and the Law Society launched a joint LinkedIn group specifically for legal aid solicitors this week. The group will be the leading forum for discussion of legal aid topics, and will help the Society’s legal aid team gather input from solicitors to inform next ...
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Calls to rethink telephone gateway for civil legal aid
The Law Society and other representative groups have called for a ‘fundamental rethink’ of ‘radical’ government proposals to introduce a telephone gateway for all civil legal aid services. The impact assessments published with the government’s recent legal aid green paper estimate that the introduction of a ...
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An important appeal court judgment relating to contact orders
The decision of the Court of Appeal in the matter of L-W Children [2010] EWCA Civ 1253 has surprised many people. Some have probably used even stronger language. It is probably best if, in this article, I concentrate on analysis and practicalities. ...
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Probate update: RSPCA appeals
What an exciting month December was. We got decisions in the two big RSPCA appeals. In Gill v RSPCA [2009] EWHC 2990 (Ch), at first instance the court held that the will which disinherited Mrs Gill’s only daughter, leaving everything to the RSPCA, was invalid. It ...
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MoJ favours ban on cash inducements
Claims farmers would be banned from offering cash inducements and other benefits to the public, under proposals put forward by the Ministry of Justice in a consultation paper. In a move to implement one of Lord Young of Graffham’s recommendations in his October report on the ...
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Barrister Billy: quick on the draw
Back in the 1960s and 70s, in a hopeless case – for example, if the defendant refused to plead guilty to bank robbery even though he had been photographed inside the bank, had three identifying witnesses, and was found with the money stuffed behind his fireplace and had made a ...
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Has Nick Clegg been 'mugged by reality' on control orders?
Will the government abolish control orders? Or are unconvicted terrorist suspects still going to have their movements and contacts restricted under these much-criticised ‘gag and tag’ orders? ‘Control orders cannot continue in their current form,’ insisted the deputy prime minister last week. ‘They must be replaced.’ ...
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News
The benefits of joining the residential conveyancing scheme
Despite the challenges from licensed conveyancers, it is believed that between 85% and 90% of the conveyancing market are solicitors. However, it is hard to tell how accurate this figure is. Of only 600,000-800,000 transactions last year (which includes remortgages), the largest Land Registry users include Enact and My Home ...
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'Boom-bust’ warning for top commercial firms
Top commercial law firms must become more flexible and less reactive to cope with the boom-bust pattern of global markets over the next 10 years, a report by consultants Jomati has suggested. Introducing variable rather than fixed costs, creating links with legal process outsourcers (LPOs), and ...
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Burger deal, fashion buy, road-building initiative, new listing
Burger buy: Reading firm Pitmans advised restaurant operator Zing Leisure on acquiring three Burger King restaurants in London for an undisclosed sum. Burger King was advised by its in-house team.
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News
Premature call on RTA claims process
I write to comment on the item: ‘FOIL president: cut claimant lawyer fees’
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The current practice of investigating deaths must be challenged
In 2009, 22% of all deaths in England and Wales underwent autopsy on the instruction of coroners – one of the highest rates of medico-legal autopsy in the world. The fundamental review of death certification and investigation reported that the autopsy rate was between double and triple the rates of ...
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Family lawyers hail new code
Family lawyers have welcomed last week’s publication of the long-awaited Family Procedure Rules 2010, which will come into force on 6 April. The new code, published by the Ministry of Justice, provides a single set of rules for proceedings in the magistrates’ court, county court and ...
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Company law
Share valuation – Unlawful distribution of capital Progress Property Co Ltd v Moorgarth Group Ltd: Sup Ct (Lords Phillips (President), Walker, Mance, Collins, Clarke): 8 December 2010 The appellant company ...
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EU contract law plea
The expert group tasked with advising the European Commission on EU-wide changes to contract law should have more input from English law practitioners, the Law Society said this week. Society chief executive Desmond Hudson expressed concern that the panel is currently made up primarily of academics ...