Judge's emails automatically forwarded to malicious account
HM Courts & Tribunals Service reported five incidents to the Information Commissioner's Office.
HMCTS staff spent 30,000 hours dealing with court IT chaos
Ministry of Justice says the January outage was reputationally damaging.
Whitehall ponders new identity verification scheme
Calls for evidence on system for proving identity ‘without the need for identity cards’.
70 years, 70 cases: campaigners pay tribute to legal aid
Justice Alliance publishes booklet to commemorate Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949.
Society updates best-practice guide for conveyancers
Chancery Lane chief says Conveyancing Protocol will provide consistency and improve efficiency.
Society joins plea to UN over Turkey’s ‘chilling roll call of injustice’
Hundreds of lawyers have been convicted since attempted coup in 2016.
'Whoever has the privilege': Gauke on the brink of departure
Lord chancellor prepares to bid farewell as he sends a message to his successor in a speech on reoffending.
Code aims to improve standard of private prosecutions
Prosecutors should remember their responsibilities as 'ministers of justice'.
City firms' tax bill would cover legal aid 11 times over
New figures from lobby group show law and accountancy firms contributed £19.1bn to the exchequer last year.
City salary stampede continues with 23% rise for NQs
New starters at global firm Baker McKenzie will get a £5,000 signing-on bonus.
MoJ proposes guidance to understand Victims' Code obligations
Frontline staff unsure who needs to do what each stage of the criminal justice process.
‘Overworked’ solicitor fined for claiming duplicate cab expenses
London lawyer said his own administration system ‘fell into disarray’.
Claimants win crucial costs appeal on proportionality and reasonableness
Judges rule that comparing the value of a claim and the premium paid is not a measure of reasonableness.
Eagerly-awaited costs ruling expected today from Court of Appeal
Issues of reasonableness and proportionality to come under the microscope in dual judgment.
Doomed firm chased 3,000 clients for wasted costs
Administrator’s report reveals measure was dropped due to bad publicity - but restarted by costs recovery experts.
Freshfields pushes lawyers to connect with female barristers
Magic circle firm wants to see greater diversity among the counsel it instructs.
Legal watchdog frustrated by inaction on complaints data
Consumer panel says SRA and Legal Ombudsman have made positive changes, but there is more to do.
Bankruptcy curbs extended for ex-solicitor who abused client trust
John Killington has restrictions extended to nine years after being pursued for costs by SRA.
Gateley draws up new staff incentive plan as income surges
Listed pioneer reports bullish results four years after going public.
High Court quashes lawyer's decision not to prosecute police driver
Crown Prosecution Service says it is reflecting on critical judgment carefully.
Financial pressures force closure of London law centre
Trustees of Lambeth Law Centre confirm the facility has shut with immediate effect.
Lottery lifeline: £494k for dwindling law centres
Government figures show there were 94 law centres in 2013/14. There are 47 now.
Insurers bemoan new discount rate - but stand to save £320m a year
NHS also set to benefit from new -0.25% rate, according to government’s impact assessment.
Ex-Kingsley Napley partner fined over £1.5m estate payments
Former head of private client department found to have made mistakes in handling of administration.
MoJ urged to do more on criminal records reform
David Gauke pledges to break employment barrier but report highlights 'double discrimination' faced by BAME people.
‘Solicitor’ who forged BPP test certificates is struck off
Muhammad Ifzal failed to complete the courses required for admission, but applied anyway using forgeries.
Discount rate reaction: Insurers furious, claimant lawyers relieved
Contrasting responses after lord chancellor's surprise decision to set -0.25% rate.
Revealed: Government sets PI discount rate at -0.25%
Long-awaited figure affecting damages payouts announced by lord chancellor.
Memory lane 15 July 2019
A stroll down Gazette memory lane.
School’s nearly out for Gauke
Obiter is enjoying the Lord Chancellor’s end-of-term demeanour.
Bar gets hacked-off
The bar is not known for its humility, a characteristic on show at the Bar Council’s anniversary knees-up last week.
At the sharp end
Solicitor recalls client’s request to have an ’Excalibur sword’ brought to court.
Dotcom whizz sets up lawtech app store
Reynen Court, founded by Andrew Klein, aims to cut time taken for a firm to procure systems ‘from months to minutes’.
MoJ can’t find key Jackson costs note
Only record of a meeting in which Sir Rupert Jackson proposed extending the Aarhus convention cost-cap is lost.
Contract ended over fee error
Charities such as the RNLI will now have to pay more to be notified bequests.
Interim costs award sets ‘vitally important’ precedent for law firm cashflow
Judge says interim costs order should be made with a view to solicitors’ cashflow in long-lasting litigation.
Fight against financial crime is underfunded, claim solicitors
The government’s Economic Crime Plan allocates £48m for law enforcement, while the NCA insists £2.7bn is needed.
A&O profits rise but PEP growth slows
The magic circle firm adds to a bullish set of City results.
NHS spending on claimant legal costs drops by £24m in a year
Overall spending still increasing as compensation levels and defence costs rise.
Solicitor jailed by US over Russia interview is struck off
Alex Rolf van der Zwaan concealed correspondence in order to protect his job.
'Affordable' bar training course gets green light
From September 2020, aspiring barristers may commence a two-part course run by the Inns of Court College of Advocacy.
Lawyers say HMCTS chief wrong about 15-minute video slots
Susan Acland-Hood told MPs there is no standard operating procedure - but solicitors say they don't have enough time to take proper instructions.
MoJ set to decide on second wave of personal injury reform
Proposals divided industry when they went to consultation back in 2017.
Claims farmer for Asons jailed for forging signatures
Nottingham CMC director was a key claims supplier to the formerly high-profile but now defunct Bolton firm.
Profession captures climate change through power of photography
Lawyers and law students submitted entries in the first Global Law Photography competition.
Linklaters reports double-digit profit growth
Profit, PEP and revenue all up at the magic circle firm.
Legal aid ‘heroes’ honoured at special ceremony
Hundreds of practitioners gather for the 17th Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards.
Proportion of solicitor-judges dips despite diversity drive
Share of bench occupied by judges with non-barrister backgrounds has dropped by three percentage points.
PEP down and profit growth slows at Pinsent Masons
International firm’s partners received £33,000 less than last year.
Former solicitor loses strike-off appeal over delayed counsel fees
Tribunal decision to bar Midlands sole practitioner for dishonesty is upheld in the High Court.
We have to be careful with legal aid, PM warns
Theresa May says a quarter of the Ministry of Justice budget is spent on legal aid.
Slaughter and May boosts trainee grant to £10,000
Students on the law conversion course will receive a five-figure maintenance grant from the magic circle firm.
‘The public like it’ - Judges back digital justice progress
Senior judiciary also seek to address misplaced concerns at appearance before MPs.
Ashurst PEP rises by almost a third in latest upbeat results announcements
Three City firms released promising profit and revenue growth figures for year to 30 April.
Online courts won’t take off without compulsion, report for LSB claims
Super regulator creates 'new resource of information and advice for legal services regulators' to deal with lawtech.
City could fund legal aid to save reputation of English law - top judge
Lady Justice Hallett warns City of London Corporation that rival jurisdictions are primed to exploit the degradation of our legal system.
FCA opens hundreds of cases – but does not close them
The number of unresolved cases grows as city watchdog opens more investigations than ever.
Complaint numbers up - but solicitors better than ever at resolving them
New SRA aggregated data shows firms are excelling at ensuring complaints stay in-house.
LiP portal boss: We’re ready for April 2020 - now it’s up to others
Dominic Clayden says progress on the small claims portal now depends on the work of rule-makers.
Firm poaches Barclays boss to start legal consultancy
Stéphanie Hamon will lead Norton Rose Fulbright’s consulting practice for in-house lawyers.
Labour vows to end 'scandal' of leasehold injustice
New route for redress proposed after party told that solicitors are warning leaseholders not to use tribunals.
Solicitors disappointed by inheritance tax overhaul
‘Far more beneficial changes’ could have been made to lifetime gift rules, lawyers claim.
Knights acquisition trail continues after splashing £21m in a year
Listed legal services business outlines 'third-tier' consolidation strategy along with strong results.
European deal value plunges by nearly 60%
The decline in M&A activity is blamed on ‘geopolitical uncertainty’ and dwindling boardroom confidence.
Hale risks political storm by questioning legislation before parliament
Baroness Deech's Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill has passed through the Lords and is now before the elected chamber.
JMW buoyed by positive profits before big London move
Manchester practice reflects on successful year characterised by growth across the board.
Chambers may publish sexuality data without members' consent
Diversity officers no longer need the approval of the whole workforce to publish anonymised personal information online.
Applicants line up for SRA’s £250,000 technology challenge
Legal access challenge announces membership of panel to judge entrants for £50,000 grants.
GCs to track diversity progress among external firms
US network wants to know what tactics are working as European colleagues issue statement of encouragement.
Get ready for another lord chancellor
David Gauke says he’ll jump before he’s pushed if Boris Johnson becomes prime minister.
Deloitte looks to technology to give it a legal services edge
Big Four accountant recruits a high-profile team to deliver an ‘ambitious technology-led strategy' in legal services.
Lord Falconer joins fight against clin neg fixed costs
Former lord chancellor questions plans being drawn up by the Ministry of Justice and Department of Health for fixed costs for claimants running cases worth up to £25,000.
News focus: Conflicts of interest
Dissent is growing over government inertia on so-called ‘lawfare’. But Brexit and a lack of clarity about what exactly needs to be done leave the issue dogged by uncertainty.
Arsenic and an old case
As a recent fraud case proved, expert witnesses can cause great trouble.
Rolls judge warns US over epic trial
Mr Justice Hildyard, presiding over the Hewlett Packard and Mike Lynch case, warned prosecutors not to ‘upset’ witnesses in the UK.
Regulator sounds out firms over CPD in 'light-touch' era
SRA asked ‘small number’ of solicitors why they refused to engage with new system for assessing continuing competence.
Talent drawn to small firms
Solicitors’ main attraction of downsizing from larger firms was the ability to remain in control, says LexisNexis.
Korea ending
When Lancashire solicitor James Robbins missed out on the London Marathon, he tackled one further afield.
Mind the gap
One City firm’s terrace had been unwittingly designed for men.
Factory reset
Obiter spent time at a self-styled ‘iconic’ and ‘future-proof’ office in Shoreditch.
Pinsent Masons strikes ‘unique’ deal with litigation funder
Augusta Ventures will offer the firm’s clients better rates and fast-tracked services.
Probate chaos nearing an end as backlog starts to be cleared
HMCTS also confirms it is going ahead with closure of regional probate registries.
Law Society dips into reserves to fund IT upgrade
Group plans to spend over £60m on transforming technology infrastructure.
Legal Aid Agency seeks to reduce dependency on troubled billing system
A service called 'Apply for Legal Aid' will be introduced next year.
Charities to pay more as HMCTS cancels 'unlawful' bequest alert contract
Legacy notification service Smee & Ford will continue to inform charities of bequests, but fees will be higher.
Traffic defence lawyer shut down by SRA
Intervention confirmed into Lancashire practice Trafficlawyer4U.
DAC Beachcroft delivers strong profit growth
The firm’s profit rose by 10% with PEP up 7%.
Serco fraud: Deferred prosecution critics ‘cynical’, says judge
Mr Justice William Davis approves the UK’s fifth DPA over fraud against Ministry of Justice.
Conveyancers escape censure over leasehold concerns
Government says code of conduct is clear that clients' interests must be protected.
Nearly a third of trainee barristers attended private schools
Data also shows that BAME candidates are almost half as likely to be offered a pupillage as their white peers.
