All News articles – Page 1763
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News
Big rise in calls for help on stress
The number of case files opened by support group LawCare jumped by two-thirds last year, with stress the main cause of concern. LawCare said that it opened 500 case files and received another 1,925 calls in 2008. This compares with 301 case files and 1,310 calls in 2007. ...
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Sixth-one years and one month - beat that
With some trepidation, Obiter announces a new holder of our secs appeal award for longest-serving legal secretary. Yvonne Drake began working as a legal secretary in January 1948 and, now a sprightly 77, is still working at Hampshire firm Footners. That’s 61 years and one month, a record that bumps ...
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Liberty balance
In response to your editorial (see [2009] Gazette, 29 January, 8), I would like to express my agreement and fears for civil liberties. Placing coroners’ courts behind closed doors can only have been proposed to avoid government embarrassment and cover up mistakes. Jack Straw cannot be suggesting that ‘national security’ ...
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The balance of power
‘The common thread that underpins the Legal Services Board’s work is the consumer,’ declares the LSB’s first business plan, which was published a week ago. Nothing remarkable about that, though what is worth dwelling on is the role of the body’s consumer panel. Part critical friend, part watchdog’s watchdog, the ...
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Army reports surge in recruitment inquiries
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) says it has had a surge of enquiries from solicitors and barristers about joining the army as legal advisers. Although figures from this year’s annual intake are not yet available, the MoD said the number of applicants was higher than in recent years, possibly because ...
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SRA may face challenge over in-house code anomaly
The Solicitors Regulation Authority may face a judicial review challenge over claims that it unfairly penalises in-house lawyers, the Gazette has learned.
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Five alive
Hats off to the London chambers formerly known as 5 Paper Buildings for its part in demolishing the myth that the bar is conservative and resistant to change. According to a press release, the chambers has engaged a brand strategist and a communications adviser to come up with a radical ...
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How the Mortgage Arrears Protocol affects mortgage proceedings
With mortgage repossessions increasing, the government is stepping in with advice to mortgage lenders. As sources of mortgage finance dry up, families can find themselves facing higher mortgage costs, as well as other budgetary pressures. Their predicament has been exacerbated by the tough attitude of ...
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Legal advice
Conditional fee agreements - Legal costs insurance - Solicitors’ powers Kier Tankard (appellant) v John Fredricks Plastics Ltd (respondent); (1) Fawcett Old Ltd (2) Michael Jane Hair & Beauty (appellants) v Yvonne Hibberd (respondent); Mark Jones (appellant) v Karl ...
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Legal advice
Breach of contract - Conditional fee arrangements - Costs - Retainers (1) Bray Walker Solicitors (a firm) (2) Bevans Bray Walkers Ltd (t/a Bevans) v Carlo Moise Silvera: QBD (Mr Justice Blake): 18 December 2008 ...
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Solicitors act against personal injury ‘capture’
A solicitor group fighting the insurance company practice of ‘capturing’ personal injury clients is to meet the Ministry of Justice next week.
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Law Society regains voluntary accreditation role
The Law Society has regained control of voluntary accreditation schemes from the Solicitors Regulation Authority after 96% of council members voted for them to be handed back to the Society. The vote affects schemes to accredit practitioners in a number of areas, including mental health, ...
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Looking for a wife
Spouse gone AWOL? Then ask a law librarian. That was the instinct of the solicitor who called the Law Society library to say his client wanted a divorce, but had no marriage certificate and could not remember the exact date of the marriage or precisely where it took place (‘somewhere ...
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Judicial obstacles
The recent research carried out by Professor Dame Hazel Genn and quoted in Joshua Rozenberg’s article [see [2009] Gazette, 15 January, 8] highlighted clearly the barriers that women solicitors can face when applying for a judicial appointment.
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Human rights
Sentencing – EC law – Foreign travel – Notification – Sex offenders R (on the application of F) v Secretary of State for Justice: R (on the application of Angus Aubrey Thompson) v Secretary of State for Justice: ...
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Local government
Planning – Human rights – Change of use – Mobile homes (1) Theo Langton (2) Ruth McGill v (1) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (2) West Dorset District Council: QBD (Admin) (Judge Gilbart QC): 7 ...
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Music store purchase, nightclub licence and football sponsorship
Indian club: City firm Field Fisher Waterhouse advised nightclub Chinawhite on a licensing agreement to open another club in the Lalit Hotel in New Delhi, India. It will be run and operated by Bharat Hotels, which was advised by its in-house team. ...
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Phone-recording rule will hit tiny number of firms
Only a tiny number of law firms will be affected by a requirement to record telephone instructions from March, an expert has advised. Ian Muirhead, managing director of Solicitors Independent Financial Advice, said the new rule is aimed at curbing insider dealing and will affect around ...
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Experience necessary
Though a sly old fox, Obiter has almost been out-foxed by Hertfordshire law firm Curwens. We requested details of long-serving legal secretaries and were startled to receive Curwens’ surely unbeatable record of 72 years. Closer scrutiny, however, revealed the firm was claiming the sum of Jenny Rogers’ 48 years and ...
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Novel experience
May I congratulate Neil Rose on an excellent article about combining a professional legal career with that of a novelist (see [2008] Gazette, 18 December, 8). I am not a solicitor, but have worked as administrator for LawCare for the past ten years, and also had my third novel published ...