Gazette 2 December 2013

Mitchell ruling signals cost intent

Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson has issued a landmark costs ruling which sends a ‘clear message’ that non-compliance with Lord Justice Jackson’s civil costs regime will not be tolerated. The Court of Appeal last week upheld the High Court’s decision to deny relief from sanction to the law firm representing Andrew Mitchell MP in his libel case against the Sun.

4 December 2003

Cobbetts forms Crowder Union

Manchester and Leeds-based Cobbetts is to merge with Birmingham firm Lee Crowder and create a top-50 national firm. Cobbetts said the merger would enable the firm to exploit the opportunities of operating out of the three key regional centres without the costs of a London operation.

1 December 1993

Feeling the strain of a child’s murder

The Bulger trial has had a heavy personal impact on the two defence lawyers. Public bar pundits have rushed to question whether guilty pleas should have been entered in order to spare both sides the trauma of a long trial. The lawyers adamantly defend their decisions.

December 1963

President Kennedy

If any good [can] come out of this terrible affair it may be that both the crime committed by the president’s assassin and the crime committed by the suspected assassin’s assassin, will underline the futility of people taking the law into their own hands.

December 1943

Maintenance of soldiers’ wives

The attention of members is directed to the fact that where the wives of soldiers have had the Family Allowance withdrawn, and whether divorce proceedings have started or not, then in addition to the remedies available in the civil courts, the wife has the right under s145 of the Army Act to apply to the competent military officer for a compulsory stoppage from the soldier’s pay.