Finance and Divorce Update September 2016 – Family Law Week

Posted September 15th, 2016 in appeals, divorce, fees, financial provision, news, pensions, periodical payments by sally

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP, analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during August 2016.’

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Family Law Week, 9th September 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

MasterCard sued for £14bn in largest ever British legal claim – The Guardian

‘Credit card group MasterCard is being sued for £14bn, the largest legal claim in British history, in a landmark lawsuit over allegations that it overcharged 46m UK consumers.’

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The Guardian, 8th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme Court to decide on recovery of success fees and ATE premiums in publication proceedings – Litigation Futures

Posted August 31st, 2016 in appeals, costs, defamation, fees, insurance, media, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court is to return to the issue of recoverability after granting permission to appeal in a case leapfrogged from the High Court about costs in defamation.’

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Litigation Futures, 30th August 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Defending public interest lawyers – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘After months of rumours that staff were leaving the firm and that its founder Phil Shiner was buckling under of the pressure, Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) has announced its closure.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th August 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Finally – insurers get it in the neck for not passing on whiplash savings – Legal Futures

‘The insurance industry had a taste of its own PR medicine over the weekend after The Times accused insurers of “cheating motorists” by not passing on whiplash savings.’

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Legal Futures, 30th August 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council blames court fee rises for fall in CCJs – Litigation Futures

Posted August 30th, 2016 in barristers, county courts, courts, fees, news, statistics by sally

‘There was a 19% fall in the number of debt judgments against businesses in England and Wales during the first six months of 2016, which the Bar Council says is evidence of the negative impact of rising court fees.’

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Litigation Futures, 25th August 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Woman who used conveyancers to litigate probate dispute told to repay money lost to estate – Legal Futures

Posted August 26th, 2016 in administrators, fees, news, probate, repayment by sally

‘A woman who obtained a grant of letters of administration and then used a firm of licensed conveyancers to defend herself against a claim from other potential beneficiaries, has been told by the High Court that she has to pay back to the estate nearly £87,000 given to the firm that has been lost.’

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Legal Futures, 26th August 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Statistics show those owed money are being “priced out of court” – The Bar Council

Posted August 25th, 2016 in courts, debts, fees, news, statistics by sally

‘Businesses and individuals seeking money owed to them are being priced out of court, warns the Bar Council, as figures from the Registry Trust show a 19 per cent drop in county court judgments against businesses in the first half of 2016.

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The Bar Council, 23rd August 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Costs judge gives another CFA assignment the thumbs-up – Litigation Futures

Posted August 24th, 2016 in assignment, contracts, costs, fees, news, part 36 offers, solicitors by sally

‘The assignment of conditional fee agreements (CFAs) is under the spotlight yet again after a costs judge ruled that one had been validly made.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd August 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Force family lawyers to offer fixed fees, consumer panel suggests – Legal Futures

Posted August 24th, 2016 in competition, dentists, family courts, fees, legal services, news, statistics by sally

‘Family law specialists should be required to work under fixed fees, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has suggested as it ramped up its call for regulatory intervention to improve transparency in the market.’

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Legal Futures, 24th August 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Brexit legal challenge: High Court bid could derail Theresa May’s EU exit timetable – The Independent

Posted August 22nd, 2016 in brexit, costs, EC law, fees, news, parliament, referendums by sally

‘Remain supporters have crowd-funded £32,000 in legal fees to argue Ms May will need Parliament’s backing before beginning formal negotiations to leave the EU.’

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The Independent, 20th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rise in women facing discrimination on taking maternity leave – The Guardian

‘New mothers are facing increasing discrimination when they take maternity leave including being made redundant and switched to zero-hours contracts.’

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The Guardian, 21st August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Advertising watchdog raps CMC for misleading consumers about fees – Legal Futures

Posted August 17th, 2016 in advertising, claims management, fees, insurance, news by sally

‘A claims management company in Manchester has become the latest to be slapped down by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after failing to make clear to potential customers that the amount of money they could receive was before its 33% fee was deducted.’

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Legal Futures, 17th August 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge stays case until claimants pay correct court fee – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 17th, 2016 in contracts, fees, news, stay of proceedings by sally

‘The High Court has ruled that a contract claim against retailer Sports Direct should be stayed until the claimant has paid the correct court fee.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 16th August 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid is a national institution like the NHS, so why is it not properly funded? – The Guardian

Posted August 10th, 2016 in barristers, budgets, costs, fees, legal aid, legal representation, news, solicitors by sally

‘The media jump on high-profile cases of criminals like Ben Butler and Jennie Gray receiving huge amounts in legal aid. The real outrage is successive governments’ policy to limit access to it.’

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The Guardian, 9th August 2016

Source: www.gaurdian.co.uk

Anger over legal aid bill for Ellie Butler’s parents – The Guardian

‘The grandfather of murdered six-year-old Ellie Butler has condemned the legal aid granted to her killer father, amid reports the taxpayer picked up a bill of more than £1.5m for his legal expenses.’

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The Guardian, 6th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Banking watchdog to announce measures to boost competition – The Guardian

Posted August 8th, 2016 in banking, competition, consumer credit, fees, news, ombudsmen, statistics by sally

‘Overdraft fees and an easier system of moving personal and small business accounts are expected to be at the centre of measures intended to bolster competition in the banking sector.’

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The Guardian, 8th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court upholds Legal Ombudsman order that firm repay most of £37k contingency fee – Legal Futures

Posted August 5th, 2016 in fees, legal ombudsman, news, repayment, solicitors by sally

‘The High Court has rejected a solicitor’s appeal against a Legal Ombudsman (LeO) order that he refund £34,000 of his £37,000 fee to a client he signed up to a contingency fee agreement (CFA).’

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Legal Futures, 4th August 2016

www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar ‘entities’ flop – so fees under review – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 4th, 2016 in alternative business structures, barristers, fees, news, reports by Mark L

‘The bar’s regulator is reviewing its fees after grossly overestimating the profession’s appetite for new business models. Income has fallen well short of expectations, the Bar Standards Board admits in its annual report, after entity applications turned out to be just a fraction of the hundreds anticipated when it began licensing the new model in April last year.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th August 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Claims Management Regulator – Misleading marketing statements – Ministry of Justice

‘We have put together a list of misleading statements which demonstrate some of the types of advertising and marketing that is not compliant with our rules.’

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Ministry of Justice, 29th July 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice