New employment tribunal procedural rules published – OUT-LAW.com

“Fees will be introduced for workers wishing to raise a claim in the Employment Tribunal from 29 July 2013. Procedural rules governing the process will also change from that date.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 5th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Growing amount of legal work can be “de-lawyered”, says LSB director – Legal Futures

“A growing amount of legal work could be ‘de-lawyered’ and provided by organisations that offer a wide range of legal and non-legal services, the strategy director of the Legal Services Board (LSB) has suggested.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers warn privatisation of courts could damage City’s status as disputes centre – Legal Week

Posted May 31st, 2013 in courts, dispute resolution, legal profession, London, news by sally

“City lawyers have warned that London’s status as an international litigation centre will come under threat should the Government push ahead with proposals to privatise the courts service.”

Full story

Legal Week, 31st May 2013

Source: www.legalweek.com

Obtaining cost orders against solicitors – 4 New Square

“Dispute Resolution analysis: When can solicitors who failed to obtain ATE insurance, become parties
to the litigation for the purpose of cost orders? Stephen Innes, barrister at 4 New Square Chambers
looks at the Court of Appeal’s decision in Heron v TNT.”

Full story (PDF)

4 New Square, 14th May 2013

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Legal aid cuts risks damaging civilised society, warns senor judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 10th, 2013 in barristers, civil justice, dispute resolution, judges, legal aid, news by sally

“Cuts to legal aid risk damaging the ‘essence of civilised society’ the country’s highest judge warned as he said everyone should have access to justice.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th May 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mediation and alternative dispute resolution – OUP Blog

“Why compromise? Increasingly in civil litigation there are no winners — not even the lawyers, following the review and implementation of Sir Rupert Jackson’s report into costs. The question is rapidly being re-phrased as ‘Why litigate?'”

Full story

OUP Blog, 27th April 2013

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 26th, 2013 in arbitration, codes of practice, dispute resolution, legislation by tracey

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

‘Unbundling’ the new craze as lawyer-backed family mediation service launches – Legal Futures

Posted March 18th, 2013 in dispute resolution, divorce, fees, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“A lawyer-backed service that supports divorcing couples during mediation, charging fixed fees to halve the cost, is being billed as a possible lifeline for family legal aid lawyers after 1 April.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th March 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Family Mediation Council’s Professional Practice Consultants Conference 2013 – Speech by Lord McNally

Posted March 15th, 2013 in arbitration, dispute resolution, families, legal profession, speeches by tracey

“Family Mediation Council’s Professional Practice Consultants Conference 2013, speech by Lord McNally, 14th March 2013.”

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 14th March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Figures show divorce hot spots – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in dispute resolution, divorce, news, statistics by sally

Separating couples are being urged to use mediation instead of ending up in courtroom battles after a list of England and Wales divorce hot spots was revealed.

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 20th February 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bill forcing papers to seek pre-publication approval is ‘flawed’ – The Guardian

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in bills, damages, defamation, dispute resolution, freedom of expression, media, news, privacy by sally

“Proposals for a new law which would require newspaper editors to seek regulatory approval for certain types of stories are flawed and should be abandoned, a number of peers have said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Divorcing couples often hide assets, survey suggests – BBC News

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in disclosure, dispute resolution, divorce, news, penalties by sally

“Many people going through divorce could be hiding their wealth from their partners, a survey suggests.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Finance and Divorce Update – Family Law Week

“Anna Heenan, solicitor and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law at Mills & Reeve LLP analyse December’s financial remedies and divorce news and cases.”

Full story

Family Law Week, January 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

‘Unfair’ laws for cohabiting couples highlighted again – BBC News

Posted February 6th, 2013 in appeals, cohabitation, dispute resolution, news, partnerships by sally

“The recent county court case of Pamela Curran and Brian Collins highlights the difficulties that arise when unmarried couples separate and it should serve as a warning to others in a similar position.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hamilton v Hamilton – WLR Daily

Hamilton v Hamilton [2013] EWCA Civ 13; [2013] WLR (D) 26

“An order in ancillary relief proceedings for the payment of a series of lump sums over time was not necessarily an order for a lump sum by instalments, within section 23(3)(c) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, and therefore variable under section 31 of the 1973 Act.”

WLR Daily, 24th January 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Off with his head: Recent developments in severability – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted January 17th, 2013 in construction industry, courts, dispute resolution, enforcement, news by sally

“Adjudicators are increasingly called upon to adjudicate upon complex, multi-faceted disputes. It is now well established that ‘a dispute’ can encompass several discrete issues and the TCC has striven to avoid an overly legalistic approach and to apply common sense when deciding whether a claim encompasses ‘a dispute’ or not.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 7th January 2013

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Pub industry adjudicator plans put forward – BBC News

“The government has announced plans for an independent adjudicator in the pub industry to help struggling landlords.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Finance and Divorce January Update – Family Law Week

“Anna Heenan, solicitor and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law at Mills & Reeve LLP analyse December’s financial remedies and divorce news and cases.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 4th January 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

DIY divorces set to surge as legal aid vanishes – The Independent

Posted January 7th, 2013 in budgets, dispute resolution, divorce, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“On the eve of ‘D-Day’ – that’s Divorce Day, the first Monday back to work after the festive period, when warring couples are more likely to register for a divorce – lawyers warn that tens of thousands of people could find splitting up harder and more costly this year. And the number of those turning to ‘DIY divorce kits’ is expected to surge.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th January 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Arbitration update: Tang v Grant Thornton – provisions for conciliation or mediation of disputes prior to arbitration or court proceedings examined – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 4th, 2012 in arbitration, dispute resolution, enforcement, news by sally

“Tang Chung Wah and others v Grant Thornton and others [2012] EWHC 3198 (Ch)

In Tang, the Honourable Mr Justice Hildyard dismissed a claim under s. 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 that a final LCIA Award should be found to be of no effect on grounds that the Tribunal had lacked substantive jurisdiction to determine the dispute in question.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 28th November 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk