Opinion – Page 58
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Opinion
Calling time on old covenants
Surely it is time that something was done about old property covenants, which are nowadays totally meaningless.
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Opinion
Keep taking the medicine
I am aware that the government is keen to encourage those who are in dispute to mediate and resolve their difficulties without going to court.
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Opinion
Bar plays by different rules
Members of the profession may not know that they can be out of pocket paying counsel’s fees when the court has determined that those fees are unreasonable.
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Opinion
Regulations give guidance on third-party libels
MoJ publication on user-generated content gives lawyers a much clearer idea of where they stand.
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Opinion
Complicated conveyancing
Why has the relatively simple act of buying and selling a house seemingly become so complicated?
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Opinion
Gender-exclusive address
It is ridiculous it is in this day and age to address another firm as ‘Dear Sirs’ when probably more than half the lawyers in that firm are female.
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Opinion
Ensuring staff wellbeing is a commercial necessity
A health and wellbeing strategy can bring benefits commercially, too.
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Opinion
Pawns in the migration game
In July the Home Office introduced a seemingly innocuous phrase into the immigration rules and international students will suffer.
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OpinionDivorce lawyers: proving our worth
Solicitors must demonstrate the value of a qualified family lawyer in divorce cases.
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Opinion
Arbitrate to uphold justice
If parties choose to arbitrate rather than litigate their dispute, route to justice will be improved.
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Opinion
Poorly prepared judges
I am a commercial litigator of some 44 years’ experience and I work in civil courts all over the country. I have noticed over recent years that, with all the problems facing our civil justice system, the efficiency of our judges is rapidly diminishing in one particular area of courtroom ...
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Opinion
Credit to Birkenhead court
I am writing to highlight a procedure adopted by our local county court in detailed assessment proceedings. When making an application for detailed assessment, we have to provide an estimated length of hearing which, in view of some of the creative arguments from opponents, has to be at least three ...
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Opinion
No publicity for ‘show trials’
Michael Mansfield promotes another of his commissions and tribunals, this time in relation to Lewisham Hospital.
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Opinion
Repaying a debt
Armed Forces Legal Action is a nationwide initiative calling on law firms across the UK to provide members of the armed forces community one-third off legal fees. Its aim is to benefit serving personnel and those who have served within two years of engaging the law firm. It also seeks ...
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Opinion
Motor insurance: health checks
I was interested to see AXA’s recent report on whiplash – an issue on which we have submitted evidence to the Transport Select Committee. The insurance industry continually issues figures about how much whiplash claims allegedly add on to motor insurance policies every year. However, no one appears to be ...
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Opinion
Painting by numbers
I need an outside painting job done at my house. It needs to be done in the summer months in the good weather. So I asked two decorators to give me a quote. One came and looked and I never heard from him again. The other came and looked and ...
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Opinion
Legal aid: children suffer
Comments by Charles Falconer QC in The Times law section regarding a tightening of the process in criminal and family care cases are worthy of careful attention. On the face of it, removal of private law family legal aid is serving the same purpose, except that it has produced the ...
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Opinion
PI firms not playing by the rules
In the new personal injury claims environment we all have to play by the new rules. The trouble is that there are many firms which are not. I have seen adverts on the internet offering, without qualification, ‘100% compensation’, but when the firm in question is called the offer is ...