All News articles – Page 1785
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News
Consultation, confusion and Clementi
I was surprised to read your item about the Law Society's review of regulation, and the reported comments of the Society's chief executive, Desmond Hudson (see [2008] Gazette, 9 October, 1). The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) had been unaware of the Society's plans until last week and did not know ...
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Litigation claims 'wishful thinking'
Widespread expectations of a litigation frenzy following the financial markets meltdown are ‘wishful thinking and unrealistic’, according to the head of litigation practice Bivonas. Tony Brown, chief executive of the London firm, said that while increases in fraud, corporate restructuring and insolvency work could be expected, ...
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Fraud chief in prevention pledge
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is planning to clamp down on fraudulent activity before cases reach the courts, its director Richard Alderman said this week. In one of his first public speeches since taking the reins of the office earlier this year, Alderman said the SFO ...
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Charter clarity
I am writing to clarify an inaccuracy concerning the postal ballot on the new Law Society charter. I want to assure all members that non-solicitors will not become members of the Society. They will be able to buy affiliate status that would give them access to products and services that ...
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Market chaos leaves firms trading without insurance
Solicitors have been trading without professional indemnity insurance (PII) amid the market meltdown, while the number of law firms in the assigned risks pool (ARP) has increased six-fold, the Gazette has been told. Shortly after the 1 October deadline, the Solicitors Regulation Authority said 150 firms ...
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I'm a celebrity lawyer...
Lawyer to the stars Nick ‘Mr Loophole’ Freeman has signed up with showbiz agents Chase Management. He joins an array of glittering talent, including a former Wonderbra model, a TV game show hostess and a finalist in TV show Pop Idol. Freeman, whose fast-lane clients have ...
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Shipping: damages for breach of contract
Two recent decisions of the House of Lords have developed the law on the assessment of damages for breach of contract.
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PI cases up for grabs to the highest bidders
An auction website where solicitors who make the highest bid win the right to take on a case is already generating business, the Gazette has learned. The backers of Legalbid.co.uk said their model is no worse – and, in some cases, better – than other referral arrangements in the market. ...
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Bertie the bubble car - a BMW in disguise
Kim Griffith, wills and probate partner at Devon firm Roger Richards, emailed Obiter with a typing slip that caused much sniggering when it came in. Her firm used to contain the name Hayman, so you can probably guess the virginal error.
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Battle to save Iceland-funded lender: latest
Talks to provide a lifeline to a specialist solicitors’ lending arm of collapsed Icelandic bank Landsbanki were under way as the Gazette went to press. Key Business Finance (KBF) chiefs were in crunch takeover talks with a number of banks to secure the company’s future. KBF ...
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Solicitors hit back over Iceland
Local government solicitors hit back at accusations that councils acted recklessly by investing in Icelandic banks. Suzanne Bond, chairwoman of Solicitors in Local Government, said: ‘We work to government guidance, which has been followed. If it had been a couple of bodies it could be reckless, ...
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Solicitors assured over criminal costs
Barristers will not gain at the expense of solicitors in the stand-off over very high cost criminal cases, the new legal aid minister assured practitioners this week. In his first engagement as minister, Lord Bach said there is ‘no question’ of funding any increase in advocacy ...
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International arbitration: getting pricier, but still growing
When Eurotunnel sought £30m in compensation for losses incurred through illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel, damaging terminal buildings and causing disruption to services, it blamed both France and Britain: France for the Sangatte hostel fiasco, creating a so-called departure lounge for illegals and the UK for its apathy in ...
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Arbitration
Customer law – Appointments – Enforcement – Unfair contract terms Mylcrist Builders Ltd v G Buck: QBD (TCC) (Mr Justice Ramsey): 19 September 2008 The applicant building company (M) applied ...
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PI mediation: moving to alternate methods of resolution
Many lawyers still need convincing about the benefits of mediation, but its impact in personal injury cases can be hugely beneficial. ‘I felt like I was beating my head against the door for four years, just getting nowhere. The lawyers were ...
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Chancery Lane paves the way for new 'affiliate' category
The Law Society has moved closer to opening its doors to non-solicitors after 63% of council members voted in favour of creating a new ‘affiliate’ category. The introduction of ‘affiliate’ status is part of the Society’s plan to become a more commercially minded outfit. ...
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How oil prices and the credit crunch affect aviation law
Airlines have gone to the wall as the price of oil rockets. How can lawyers help the industry weather the turbulence? Airlines are, metaphorically, falling out of the skies. A lethal combination of the credit crisis, the accompanying downturn in customer demand and recent high oil ...
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Acquisitions, sales, energy projects and land purchases
Green fingers: Ipswich firm Birketts advised Notcutts, a Woodbridge-based garden centre operator, on its £14.5m acquisition of six garden centres in Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Cheshire from AIM-listed distribution company NWF Group. North-west firm Brabners advised NWF.
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Review of regulation
A separate compliance regime for big City corporate firms is to be considered as part of a profession-wide review of regulation, the Gazette can reveal. The development comes amid indications that some of the UK’s biggest practices are considering alternatives to the existing system of ...
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Matters of routine
A positive way to look at LPO is that it will enable solicitors to focus on work that genuinely requires their expertise. Kerry Underwood, as many readers will know, is not a man to pull his punches. The Hertfordshire solicitor, who was at the cutting edge ...