All News articles – Page 1712
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News
Lord Neuberger appointed Master of the Rolls
Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, 61, the youngest of the law lords, is to become Master of the Rolls from 1 October. As head of England and Wales’ civil justice system he will be the second most senior judge. He will succeed Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, who has been appointed a ...
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Solicitors and barristers in deal on advocacy pay
Solicitors and barristers reached an agreement this week that would see both sides of the profession paid the same amount for advocacy work in family cases. However, the Law Society expressed disappointment that the Ministry of Justice has not yet approved the deal, and instead ...
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Government gives ‘diluted’ go-ahead for class actions
The government gave a qualified go-ahead to class actions this week. In its response to a report by the Civil Justice Council (CJC) which recommended the introduction of a new collective redress procedure last year, the Ministry of Justice said that class actions could be ...
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Inheritance Act: scrutiny of information to the Revenue
Section 247 of the Inheritance Act 1984 (IHTA) provides that anyone who fraudulently or negligently submits an incorrect account, information or document to the Inland Revenue shall be liable to a penalty.
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PC fee to rise by nearly 20%
The Law Society’s Council yesterday ‘reluctantly’ voted to increase the practising certificate (PC) by nearly 20%, though it was stressed that ‘not one penny’ of the rise was attributable to increased spending by Chancery Lane. The PC fee for 2010 will be £1,180, up from £995. ...
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Charities are right to recover losses
I was disappointed to read Michael Loveridge’s response to my comments about executors potentially being liable to beneficiaries for losses caused by delay (see [2009] Gazette, 2 July, 10). I hope he will not carry through his suggestion of advising his clients against making charitable bequests.
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Setting the standard
I write with reference to the article by Catherine Baksi on the LSC’s proposed change of approach to quality assurance (‘LSC to abandon peer review’, [2009] Gazette, 9 July, 1).
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Memory lane
Anger toward a growing practice of incorrect photocopying and distribution. Advertisement listing character requirements for a television lawyer. The Law Society’s Gazette, July 1969 I feel I cannot ...
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Solicitors invited to nominate honorary QCs
Solicitors have been invited to nominate themselves or other legal professionals for honorary Queen’s Counsel (QC). The honorary counsel will be appointed alongside the new substantive QCs in spring 2010. Honorary silk is available to all practising lawyers, whether in private ...
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To hear what the future holds, it helps to listen first
In the past few weeks I've been spending a lot of time at conferences and seminars set up by the Law Society's Law Management Section around the country. Several things have occurred to me while I drive back and forth or sit on a train from the comments of the ...
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‘Lawyers are fantastic’ – not a phrase you hear often
Let’s face it, lawyers are often given a hard time. So it’s nice sometimes to hear that somebody has a good word to say about them. Especially when that person is Archbishop Desmond Tutu, for many an icon of justice, hope and integrity.
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Homelessness – when is enough, enough?
On 1 July the House of Lords handed down a single judgment in two housing appeals, which will have significant long-term consequences with a number of questions left unanswered.
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Freedom of information: exemptions from disclosure
Freedom of information has been at the heart of the news agenda with the revelations made by the Daily Telegraph about MPs’ expenses. It’s worth remembering that, while the Telegraph came by the leaked information from someone in the House of Commons fees office...
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Two landmark reports demonstrate the complexity of human rights
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has just published the 200-page report of its Human Rights Inquiry. Meanwhile, rather more economically, Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) has put out its study – British forces in Iraq: the emerging picture of human rights violations and the role of the judicial review. ...
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Compensation fund levy set for steep increase
The Law Society’s Council convenes next week to set the level of the compensation fund levy, with a steep increase on this year’s £150 now seemingly inevitable. A report circulated ahead of Wednesday’s meeting contains a recommendation from the Financial Protection Committee that the full contribution rate for 2009/10 be ...
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Compensation Fund – can we learn from France?
In a week in which a painful rise in contributions to the Compensation Fund is expected, what better than seeing how another jurisdiction handles clients’ money? Us, learn something from the French? OK, don’t throw your tomatoes yet.
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Coming off the rails
If the government and LSC want to assess the risks of best value tendering, they should consider the collapse of the National Express East Coast train franchise. That company obtained the franchise with the lowest bid and an offer to make the biggest payment to the government.
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Chasing an M&A deal?
If any readers find themselves in urgent need of a City lawyer this evening, they may find the phone is ringing out to an empty office. It seems that more or less the whole of the City branch of the profession will be taking part in the 5km Standard Chartered ...
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Why the new social world will change your firm
Ever heard of ‘constant partial attention’? I was at a press bash for City firm Nabarro the other night when, in conversation about the Gazette’s work on Twitter and recent foray on to social media websites LinkedIn and Facebook with Nabarro’s IT director, the phrase was mentioned.