All News articles – Page 1708
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Show girls
Obiter always likes to hear from satisfied customers, so we were delighted to receive this picture from Katie Jones, winner of our competition to win two tickets to Legally Blonde, the musical. Not only did Katie say she had a jolly old time ...
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Jackson report published today
Claimant personal injury lawyers and after-the-event (ATE) insurers were nervously awaiting the publication of the Jackson report as the Gazette went to press. After a year of research and consultation, Lord Justice Jackson (pictured) will today reveal his blueprint to reform civil litigation costs with the ...
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Memory lane
The notion that writers cherish the idea that anyone pays much attention to what they write is a little far fetched. Law firm's learn their profits are below the national average. The joy of after dinner speeches. The ...
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Why are women trainees paid less than men?
For some time, the profession has been doing a good job of enticing women in (although, as we all know, a lot of them end up packing their bags in their 30s when they find family life incompatible with their firm’s demands).
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Order of merit
Obiter is pleased to announce the five lucky winners of last week’s competition for a free copy of the first series of Law & Order: UK, by completing the sentence, ‘I think I should star in my own TV legal drama because…’. The ...
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This year’s model
Adam Makepeace of Duncan Lewis & Co makes some pertinent points with regard to the large-scale provision of civil legal aid work (see [2009] Gazette, 10 December, 12). However, his conclusion that the choice of a model other than that used by his firm for the provision of civil legal ...
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Time is money
Christopher Digby-Bell (Letters, 7 January) clearly does not live in the real world when he claims that ‘it is only lawyers who are paid more if the work takes longer than expected’. Anyone with experience of builders knows that more often than not, problems arise as the work progresses, which ...
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Secret profit
I would once have been astonished to read that we are now allowed to add a mark-up to counsel’s fees (see [2009] Gazette, 17 December, 2). Sadly, it is a sign of the times. This appears to be yet another example of professional standards being undermined by commercial expediency.
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Chancery Lane calls for answers about legal aid tendering process
The Law Society has written to the Legal Services Commission demanding urgent information about ‘fundamental issues’ concerning the civil legal aid tendering process, and expressing ‘grave concern’ at the lack of detail given to providers. The tender process is due to begin at the beginning of ...
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What can legal business learn from publishing?
Are law firms more like publishing businesses than they think, and what might that mean?This sounds like an odd question, probably, if you're a lawyer and/or you run a law firm, but bear with me...
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New government client care regulations ‘excessive’
New government regulations requiring solicitors to inform clients about what professional indemnity insurance they have in place have been described as ‘excessive’. The Provision of Services Regulations 2009, introduced by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) in December, require lawyers to provide information on ...
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Should lawyers be scared of the taxman?
The taxman cometh, and in his right hand he swings an axe coated with the blood of doctors and dentists. He is done with them, and now he seeks to scythe down all solicitors and barristers who have avoided paying him his dues…
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New ways of doing business in 2010 – US style
I am still in prophetic mode for the New Year and new decade. Two big drivers in the coming year, and for some time to come, will be the recession and new technology. Here are some developments touching on one or the other or both, as reported in various outlets ...
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Chancery Lane moves to block legal aid cap for acquitted defendants
The Law Society has filed a judicial review application in a move to block new government regulations restricting the costs that can be recovered by acquitted defendants. Regulations that came into force on 31 October 2009 cap at legal aid rates the costs recoverable by acquitted defendants who have ...
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Tough times ahead but no more redundancies, predict conveyancers
Property experts have predicted a slow start to the year, but forecast an end to redundancies among conveyancing solicitors. Paul Marsh, lead Law Society spokesman on property, said the next 12 months would remain slow, but with house prices rising in some areas due to a ...
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‘Breakthrough’ tax agreement helps large partnerships
Large law firms struggling with cash flow problems will be more able to obtain an extension on their tax deadline under a change in the rules adopted by HM Revenue & Customs. The new policy will extend the revenue’s Business Payments Support Service (BPSS) to large ...
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Have we escaped Microsoft's arms only to fall into Google's?
A minor landmark in the world of technology occurred just before Christmas. Well, actually it’s a legal issue mostly. Microsoft has agreed not to bundle Internet Explorer with its Windows operating system. Not exactly eye-popping news for most, but for some it marks the end of Microsoft...
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Five solicitors suspended following more than 100 client complaints
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has intervened in a Cheshire firm and suspended the practising certificates of five of its solicitors following allegations of dishonesty involving hundreds of thousands of pounds of clients’ money. The SRA is investigating suspected dishonesty and breaches of accounting rules at Wolstenholmes, ...
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Politically, access to justice is as important as health and education
Last month I mentioned how those abroad observe our work, paying particular attention to the independence of our profession and to the perceived balance and fairness found in our legal system, both criminal and civil. Their perception is built on the outstanding reputation of the judiciary, the trusted skills and ...
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Family mediation pilot achieves mixed results
A pilot scheme making family mediation available at court to legally aided parties in disputes involving children has cost more than expected and achieved modest settlement rates, the Gazette has learned.