All News articles – Page 1727
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News
Defendant escapes confiscation because no advocate would take legal aid fee
A defendant has escaped confiscation proceedings because she was unable to find an advocate willing to accept the legal aid rate to represent her. The court’s decision, upheld in the Court of Appeal, will fuel an ongoing dispute over the levels of legal aid fees. ...
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Law firms must adopt a mature attitude to age
During a recent speech to aspiring lawyers at the College of Law, Cherie Booth QC mentioned age and how ‘we’ have not got our heads around the issue.
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Marketing activity needs to complement legal services
I had the privilege of studying under Dr Shiv Mathur, former marketing guru at Cass Business School (he retired in 1997).
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Local authorities face action over obstructing property searches
Private search companies are threatening to get tough with councils who block access to property search information or fail to comply with the government’s charging guidance. The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) said this week that it would take action against local authorities that ...
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Acting the part
Chris Partington (pictured, right) loves a challenge. Over the past three years, the wills, trusts and probate lawyer at Sale firm Slater Heelis Collier Littler has climbed Kilimanjaro, tackled the National Three Peaks climb and has now cycled 100 miles coast to coast in a day – all in aid ...
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Accountancy body warns of clash over ABS regulation
Britain’s biggest accountancy body is expected to warn that the introduction of alternative business structures combining solicitors and chartered accountants could founder, because the codes of conduct of the two professions are incompatible. The 132,000-member Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) will demand ...
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Pro bono – not U2!
Every so often, someone comes up with the idea of coining a modern English phrase for the term pro bono. None of the suggested replacements has caught on – and doesn’t everyone understand pro bono anyway? Apparently not, Cherie Booth QC told the launch of nominations for the Law Society ...
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Soft targets
Here we go again. A couple of years ago, it was ‘fat cat’ legal aid lawyers. Now our justice secretary is setting his sights on ‘irresponsible’ employment lawyers (see [2009] Gazette, 21 May, 1).
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Pretty in pink
She has only two speeds: firing on all cylinders or unconscious. That’s what the husband of Morag Goldfinch, the Law Society’s regional manager for greater London, says about her. And she has needed her irrepressible energy over the last six months after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
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The reporting season has started - but only up to a point
At the dawn of this year’s financial reporting season, it appears that the UK’s top corporate law firms have become a little coy. Of the four major firms that have announced results so far, not one has released figures for all three key financial performance indicators: revenue, profit, and profit ...
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Memory lane
Reaction to the publishing of the freedom of information Bill, the changing role of advocate's and noting the impact of war on the students of law.
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Government undervalues professions, says study
The contribution of the professions to the UK is ‘comprehensively undervalued’, according to a new study commissioned by the Law Society and other professional bodies. The public interest in peril?, published this week, estimates that roughly 8% of ...
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Family law: opening up family proceedings to the media
On 27 April 2009 the Family Proceedings (Amendment) (No 2) Rules 2009 SI857 (County Court and High Court) and the Family Proceedings Courts (Miscellaneous Amendments) Rules 2009 SI2009 No 858 (Magistrates Courts) and two Practice Directions, Attendance of Media Representatives at hearings in Family Proceedings dated 20 April 2009...
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Internet is ever more powerful when finding a solicitor
Newly published ComRes research on how the public perceives solicitors has much to tell the SRA about its communication priorities. Most people still haven’t a clue who regulates solicitors and even those who think they know are more likely than not to be wrong. Some 19% think it’s the government ...
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Employment
Civil procedure – Age discrimination – Collective agreements – Employee benefits Rolls-Royce plc v Unite (the union): CA (Civ Div) (Lady Justice Arden, Lords Justice Wall, Aikens): 14 May 2009 ...
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Tory human rights plan ‘could lead to departure from EU’
The UK could find itself parting company from the EU if Tory pledges to scrap the Human Rights Act (HRA) are carried through, the head of the Council of Europe has warned Conservative party activists. David Cameron has pledged to repeal the HRA, which since ...
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Lovells reports decline in partner profit take
City firm Lovells has become the latest major firm to report a fall in profit per equity partner (PEP). The 11% dip, to £585,000 in 2008/09 from £661,000 in the previous 12 months, came after national firm Eversheds reported a 27% fall in PEP ...
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First licensed conveyancer makes partner
Kent firm Stephens & Son has become the first solicitors’ practice to bring a licensed conveyancer into partnership. Alan Johnston (pictured), joint head of the property department, has been with the firm for 28 years. Stephens & Son now has five partners. Managing partner Jacqueline Shicluna ...