Legal aid protests held by UK Uncut – BBC News
“Demonstrators have staged events across England in opposition to planned changes to legal aid.”
BBC News, 5th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: budgets
High Court judge expressly declines to approve “disproportionate” costs budgets – Litigation Futures
“A High Court judge has expressly declined to approve the costs budget of both sides of a construction dispute on the grounds that they were ‘disproportionate and unreasonable’.”
Litigation Futures, 4th October 2013
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Master of the Rolls to preside over Plebgate appeal – The Lawyer
“The Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson is expected to decide whether the former chief whip, Andrew Mitchell MP, can break a costs order restricting his legal spend on a defamation claim against The Sun to £2,000.”
The Lawyer, 3rd October 2013
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Mediation services hit by legal aid cuts, Ministry of Justice figures reveal – The Guardian
“Government attempts to promote mediation as an alternative to expensive courtroom divorce and custody battles are failing, according to figures obtained through freedom of information requests.”
The Guardian, 30th September 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Judiciary launches review of unimplemented Jackson recommendations – Litigation Futures
“The judiciary is undertaking a review of those recommendations made by Lord Justice Jackson that have not yet been implemented, it has emerged.”
Litigation Futures, 23rd September 2013
Source: www.litigation.com
How to avoid getting into serious trouble! – New Law Journal
“HH Simon Brown QC continues his exclusive NLJ online series on costs management post-Jackson.”
New Law Journal, 19th September 2013
Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk
Wormwood Scrubs prison ‘on knife edge’ because of staff cuts – The Guardian
“Wormwood Scrubs, the west London prison, is on a ‘knife-edge’, an official watchdog has warned, with an alarming 50% growth in the use of force or restraining measures to control prisoners in an increasingly violent, gang-dominated jail.”
The Guardian, 18th September 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
NHS ‘covered up’ £4m of gag orders – Daily Telegraph
“The head of the NHS has been accused of a ‘systemic cover-up’ after official figures disclosed that hospitals have spent more than £4 million on secret gagging orders.”
Daily Telegraph, 15th September 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Master more than halves £1m budget – Litigation Futures
“A High Court master last week more than halved a proposed budget in a quantum-only cerebral palsey case, it has emerged. Leading costs lawyer Matthew Harman told this week’s PI Futures seminar in Manchester that the master also refused to hear any argument on hourly rates.”
Litigation Futures, 12th September 2013
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
New term, new approach to social care costs in SEN appeals – Education Law Blog
“We’re back to school with a bang with the decision of the Upper Tribunal in WH v Warrington BC [2013] UKUT 0391 (AAC) where Judge Williams declined to follow O v Lewisham [2007] EWHC 2130 (Admin) and instead held that the only relevant “public expenditure” for the purposes of section 9 of the Education Act 1996 is that which comes out of the local authority’s education budget.”
Education Law Blog, 1st September 2013
Source: www.education11kbw.com
More couples opt for DIY divorce as legal fees rise – LegalVoice
“With the legal fees for a ‘simple’ divorce in London now at £2,500, DIY divorce websites are reporting a sharp rise in the number of couples using their services.”
LegalVoice, 19th August 2013
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Budgeting? Beware! – New Law Journal
“Every litigator will be aware of the new obligation to prepare budgets. What follows is a series of warnings about trips and traps.”
New Law Journal, 19th August 2013
Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk
Mediation: reasonable growth – Law Society’s Gazette
“The government is introducing measures which it says will take pressure off the courts and tribunals, and in the case of family law disputes fill the gap left by cuts to legal aid. But many practitioners say the policies have not been properly thought through – and may actually hinder the use of mediation.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 12th August 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
High Court rejects challenge to maximum expenditure policy on adult care – Local Government Lawyer
“A High Court judge has rejected claims that a council unlawfully decided to introduce a ‘maximum expenditure policy’ on funding for adult care packages where people choose to live in the community.”
Local Government Lawyer, 12th August 2013
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
London fire cuts: Councils to seek judicial review – BBC News
“A group of London councils is preparing to take legal action over the decision to shut 10 fire stations as part of plans to make £28.8m savings.”
BBC News, 10th August 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
High Court caps ‘plebgate’ libel budget to court fees for Andrew Mitchell MP – The Lawyer
“The High Court has told the former chief whip Andrew Mitchell MP that the cost of his libel action against The Sun will be restricted to the cost of the court fees for the claim.”
The Lawyer, 7th August 2013
Source: www.thelawyer.com
