All News articles – Page 1657
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News
Fighting prejudice
While I accept the views of business minister Pat McFadden in his article ‘Breaking the class ceiling’, I would like to add that the only way in which equality can be achieved in the legal profession is by eradicating racism and discrimination, which are an inherent part of the profession.
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Ensuring firms pay the right fee for regulation will be no easy task
The Solicitors Regulation Authority had no real choice but to press on with its reforms of the practising certificate fee this week, under growing pressure from solicitors in the employed sector who now make up a meaty 26% of the profession. But there is a ...
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Mistaken dictation
In this computer age where working life is constantly interrupted by the pinging of emails, it is nice to know that the trusty dictaphone is still a survivor, and indeed it seems to be having the last laugh. Jo Summers, principal at London firm PWT Advice, recalls some amusing dictaphone ...
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Supply and demand
I must confess I do not agree with the sympathy expressed for trainees (‘Trainees facing exploitation on qualifying’, [2009] Gazette, 11 February, 1).
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A work in progress: creating a diverse judiciary is neither easy nor painless
by Baroness Prashar, chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission Our judicial appointments system – established under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 – was designed to enhance judicial independence and excellence, and the judiciary’s legitimacy, by making the judiciary more reflective of contemporary society.
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Reaction to terrorism judgments has not inspired confidence
Maintaining the rule of law in the face of international terrorism is the greatest challenge our legal system faces. Over the past few weeks, the courts have shown themselves capable of delivering robust judgments. It’s what happened afterwards that inspires rather less confidence.
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Without compliments
It’s no secret that claimant and defendant personal injury lawyers do not exactly see eye to eye much of the time. Speaking at the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers’ very posh president’s lunch at the Armourers’ Hall in London last week, APIL president John McQuater said he hoped the two ...
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Companies face publicity threat over corporate manslaughter
Judges will have the power to force companies convicted of corporate manslaughter to publicise their conviction after new measures came into force this week. Courts will be able to hand out publicity orders to companies and public bodies where gross corporate health and safety failures caused ...
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Watch out for claims
Sometimes the claimant personal injury industry can suffer from a bit of a bad rep. So Obiter was intrigued to learn of a documentary – Scams, Claims and Compensation Games – to be screened next week on Channel 4. The programme delves into the multi-billion-pound industry to examine who are ...
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Women jurors more likely to change their minds than men
Women jurors are more likely to change their minds as a result of jury deliberations than men, a Ministry of Justice report has revealed. The research showed that while female jurors were significantly more likely to convict at the start of deliberations, when discussions were completed ...
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Change is happening quicker than you think
Outside of the personal injury claims world (and within it in many quarters) a highly significant change in legal practice is slipping in almost unnoticed.
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Cafcass in ‘meltdown’, report claims
The organisation tasked with safeguarding the interests of vulnerable children is in ‘meltdown’, a report has suggested. However, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has hit back at the claims, which it says are ‘not based on fact’ and undermine the ...
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Miners' solicitors bombard government with FoI requests
The government has been overloaded with freedom of information (FoI) requests made by solicitors acting for former coal miners ahead of the first coordinated negligence action for alleged under-settlement of government compensation claims. In a letter to coalfield communities MPs, seen by the Gazette, junior energy ...
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‘Stretched resources’ to blame for poor CPS performances
‘Stretched resources’ at the frontline across the Crown Prosecution Service in London have resulted in ‘poor’ performance ratings for five boroughs and lower than average conviction rates in the capital, according to the organisation’s chief inspector. Reports of inspections in nine London boroughs by the HM ...
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Bach in business
After two years in the job, legal aid minister Lord Willy Bach was showing signs of battle fatigue last week as his party continues its fight to cut spending on legal aid and introduce Lord Carter’s reforms. Speaking at the Public Legal Education Network’s conference, he compared the highs and ...
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SRA approves sweeping changes to practising fee charging regime
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has this week approved sweeping changes to the way the practising certificate (PC) is charged, which will come into force this October. The SRA board has pressed ahead with a new charging regime that will shift more of the PC fee burden ...
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Local government – Taxi! Breach of consultation and apparent bias, please
Taxis take you wherever you want to go, but Newport City Council’s taxi ride to the Administrative Court didn’t end well for the authority.
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One rule for all
Mr Digby-Bell’s letter of 11 February, continuing the debate about time-based charging, suggests that clients whose matters proceed in a manner without complication should subsidise the transactions of other clients where problems may occur.
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Law firms must make the effort to inculcate a culture of equality at all levels
by Jill Andrewan employment partner at Marriott Harrison. She is the author of ‘Discrimination issues for law firms’, Practice Management Handbook (Law Society 2009), and editor of the Law Society’s forthcoming publication, Managing People in Legal Businesses Many law firms pay thousands of pounds to PR ...
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Survey reveals civil legal aid solicitors are ‘starved of cash'
A survey of law firms carried out by the newly launched Alliance for Legal Aid (AfLA) has revealed solicitors doing civil legal aid work are being ‘starved of cash to assist clients in desperate need’. AfLA launched this week to voice concerns about the provision of ...