All articles by Paul Rogerson – Page 31
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News
High volume of complaints against lawyers as LeO launches
The new Legal Ombudsman handled nearly 500 complaints on its launch day yesterday, taking its first call two minutes after opening at 8.30am while its chief executive was appearing on Radio 4's Today programme. Of 497 potential cases, more than 20 are already being investigated, chief ...
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News
Counsel count cost of Halliwells collapse
The protracted demise of Halliwells was set to enter its final chapter on Tuesday as administrators awaited creditor approval for proposals that would see the defunct firm formally wound up. As the Gazette went to press, it remained unclear how much secured creditor Royal Bank of ...
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News
Is the Gazette stuck in a PC straitjacket?
A thought-provoking phone call this week from a solicitor (who wished to remain nameless, of which more below) about the Gazette leader column’s bullish stance on legal aid. It came in the context of this week’s events at the TUC, which is gearing up for a concerted battle over the ...
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News
Could a graduate tax help reduce the profession's diversity deficit?
by Paul Rogerson editor-in-chief of the Gazette ‘It surely can’t be right that a teacher, or care worker, or research scientist, is expected to pay the same graduate contribution as a top commercial lawyer, surgeon or City analyst… whose graduate premium is so much bigger.’
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News
'Typical' PC fee set to fall
Practising fees will fall by more than a quarter in 2010/11 for the ‘typical’ fee-payer, if proposals submitted to the Law Society Council are approved next week. October will see the introduction of the so-called ‘fairer fees’ regime, under which 40% of the cost of ...
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News
Halliwells becomes biggest casualty of the recession
One of the UK’s biggest regional law firms is expected to disappear from the market shortly, after the economic downturn claimed its biggest victim so far in the legal sector. As the Gazette went to press, Manchester-headquartered Halliwells and its staff were in limbo as ...
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News
Halliwells on the brink of administration
The economic meltdown is set to claim its biggest casualty yet in the legal sector, with Halliwells hovering on the brink of administration. Talks are under way today to transfer the bulk of the top 50 firm’s assets to Liverpool-based Hill Dickinson, though there is no ...
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News
Three Lions on a skive - did you let your staff watch the football?
Apologies for trespassing on this space – not normally my domain. But I am curious. This afternoon saw the latest instalment of what we at the Gazette have dubbed ‘Carry On England’, a quadrennial tale of preening dilettantes and music-hall slapstick that always seems to end with John Bull weeping ...
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News
Law firms reveal impact of recession in benchmarking survey
Small to medium-sized law firms axed nearly one in 10 staff as the recession bit and profit per equity partner plunged by a quarter, new research shows. However, market conditions have improved in recent months, with firms starting to hire again and revenues expected to remain stable in 2010. ...
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News
Scottish solicitors reject ‘Tesco law’ – and raise fears of flight to England
The likelihood of Scotland’s ‘big four’ law firms defecting to England appears to have risen this afternoon, following a landmark vote against the introduction of alternative business structures (ABSs) north of the border. At a special general meeting of the Law Society of Scotland, members voted ...
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News
McGrigors chief offers ‘Tesco law’ rift solution
The head of Anglo-Scottish law firm McGrigors has put forward a proposal that could prevent the full implementation of ‘Tesco law’ in Scotland and heal a damaging rift over the future of the nation’s solicitors’ profession. Managing partner Richard Masters wants the majority ownership of a ...
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News
Labour manifesto targets legal aid to safeguard ‘frontline services’
Labour will implement more cuts in the legal aid budget if re-elected next month and also plans to increase the use of ‘virtual courts’ in criminal cases. The party has also pledged to press ahead with ID cards and continue to make ‘full use’ of CCTV and DNA technology to ...
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Profile
Interview: SRA chairman on a new conduct code, ABSs and a critical 18 months
The contrast between Charles Plant and his predecessor as SRA board chair, Peter Williamson, is marked. Mettlesome intellects both, of course, but Williamson's restless, staccato intensity has been supplanted by a measured - perhaps even slightly aloof - circumspection. If Plant has the demeanour of ...
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News
Scots to debate compromise plan that would derail ‘Tesco law’
The head of Anglo-Scottish law firm McGrigors has come up with a compromise proposal that could prevent the full implementation of ‘Tesco law’ in Scotland and heal a damaging rift over the future of the nation’s solicitors’ profession.
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News
‘Tesco law juggernaut halted’ in Scotland
Scottish solicitors opposed to the introduction of alternative business structures yesterday hailed the ‘halting of the Tesco law juggernaut’ north of the border, following a heated debate over the future of the nation’s legal profession. At a special meeting held in Edinburgh’s Murrayfield stadium, the ...
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News
Law Society of Scotland facing vote of confidence
The 10,500-member Law Society of Scotland is to face a vote of confidence on its future as the voice of Scottish solicitors, as grassroots opposition to the introduction of so-called ‘Tesco law’ intensifies. Members disillusioned by the body’s policy of support for external ownership and ...
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News
‘Out of touch’ Law Society of Scotland facing a vote of confidence
The 10,500-member Law Society of Scotland is to face a vote of confidence on its future as the voice of Scottish solicitors, as grassroots opposition to the introduction of so-called ‘Tesco law’ intensifies. Members disillusioned by the body’s policy of support for external ownership and alternative business structures are behind ...
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News
Scottish solicitors to get ‘Tesco law’ referendum
The Law Society of Scotland is to ballot its 10,000 members on Clementi-style liberalisation of the nation’s legal services market, as efforts to derail the reforms gather momentum. The move was announced in response to the scheduling of a special general meeting on 25 March requisitioned ...
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News
Scots to vote on ‘Tesco law’
A last-ditch effort is under way to halt the Clementi-style liberalisation of Scotland’s legal services market. The 10,000-strong Law Society of Scotland is to vote on whether to reverse its policy of supporting external ownership of law firms and alternative business structures. ...
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News
Scottish Parliament warned that ‘Tesco law’ could trigger English invasion
The Scottish Parliament was warned this week that moves to liberalise Scotland’s legal services market could spark a takeover by English invaders. Lobby group the Scottish Law Agents Society (SLAS) told members of the justice committee at Holyrood that ‘external ownership’ of law firms makes it more likely that Scottish ...