Senior Costs Judge halves “reasonable” bill under proportionality rule – Litigation Futures

Posted June 6th, 2016 in costs, fees, news, privacy, proportionality by sally

‘The Senior Costs Judge has demonstrated the harsh impact of the post-Jackson proportionality rule – along with providing some guidance on how to apply it – after halving the costs of a privacy action that he had deemed reasonable after a line-by-line assessment.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 6th June 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

LSB rule change to put spotlight on spending by professional bodies – Legal Futures

Posted June 6th, 2016 in barristers, fees, Law Society, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced a change in its practising certificate fee (PCF) rules, which will put the spotlight on spending by professional bodies such as the Law Society and Bar Council.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th June 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

End of LASPO exemption for insolvency “will lead to unscrupulous behaviour” – Litigation Futures

Posted June 3rd, 2016 in company directors, fees, insolvency, insurance, news by sally

‘Most insolvency practitioners and lawyers believe the end of the exemption for insolvency litigation from the abolition of recoverable success fees and insurance premiums in conditional fee cases will lead to “unscrupulous or illegal behaviour” by company directors, a survey has found.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 3rd June 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Employment tribunal cases withdrawn over ‘off-putting’ fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 2nd, 2016 in employment tribunals, fees, news, tribunals by sally

‘While employment lawyers await the outcome of a government review of employment tribunal fees, research by a conciliatory body suggests one in five cases were withdrawn as a result of the ‘off-putting’ fees.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st June 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rule committee rejects standalone introduction of fixed fees for costs-only proceedings – Litigation Futures

Posted June 2nd, 2016 in civil procedure rules, costs, fees, insurance, legal profession, news by sally

‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) has deflected a call by the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) to introduce fixed costs in costs-only proceedings, saying that the issue should form part of the wider reform agenda.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 2nd June 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Government admits defeat in bid to introduce fixed costs in clinical negligence on 1 October – Litigation Futures

‘The government has admitted that it will not be able to introduce fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence cases on 1 October as planned.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 31st May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Appeal judges refuse to order assessment of costs agreed by administrators – Litigation Futures

Posted May 26th, 2016 in administrators, appeals, costs, fees, insolvency, law firms, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has refused a request by the liquidators of a company for a detailed assessment of costs agreed by the firm’s administrators.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 25th May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

LSB responds to the Judicial Executive Board’s McKenzie Friends consultation – Legal Services Board

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has submitted its response to the Judicial Executive Board (JEB) consultation on the approach courts should take to McKenzie Friends.’

Full press release

Legal Services Board, 26th May 2016

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Response to Ministry of Justice consultation: Proposals to reform fees for grants of probate – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted May 26th, 2016 in consultations, fees, judiciary, news, probation by tracey

‘Response to MoJ Consultation by Sir James Munby: Proposals to Reform Fees for Grants of Probate.’

Full text

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 24th May 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Watchdog to ban penalties for savers accessing pensions – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 26th, 2016 in fees, financial regulation, news, penalties, pensions by tracey

Penal charges applying to people who want to access their retirement savings are to be banned by the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers unhappy with BSB warning on commercial pressures – Legal Futures

‘Barristers have complained that the decision of their regulator to make public the risk of commercial pressures damaging the Bar could on its own have a negative impact on the profession’s reputation.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB echoes Bar Council concerns on equality and access to justice – The Bar Council

‘The Chairman of the Bar Council, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC has signalled agreement with the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) concern for equality and diversity in the profession. As the independent regulator reported in its recently published Risk Outlook yesterday, the Bar Council also welcomed the focus on access to justice and on ensuring that consumers’ needs are properly met following the prolonged period of cuts to our system of justice.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th May 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

CFA could be assigned after firm went bust, circuit judge rules – Litigation Futures

Posted May 12th, 2016 in agreements, fees, insolvency, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘An insolvent firm of solicitors could validly assign conditional fee agreements (CFAs) to another law firm, a circuit judge has ruled in a much-anticipated case that is expected to end up in the Court of Appeal.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 12th May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court: no “windfall” in allowing barrister to claim fast-track trial advocacy fee – Litigation Futures

‘Allowing a claimant’s barrister to recover a trial advocacy fee in a fast-track personal injury case, settled on the morning of the hearing, “hardly amounts to a windfall”, a High Court judge has said.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Time to challenge appeal begins at date of award, says High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in appeals, arbitration, delay, fees, news, time limits by tracey

‘The time allowed to challenge an arbitration award begins on the date that the award is made, and not when the parties receive it, the High Court in England has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 29th April 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Asylum court fee hike makes access to justice a “luxury” for the few – The Bar Council

Posted April 28th, 2016 in asylum, barristers, civil justice, fees, immigration, press releases, tribunals by tracey

‘Plans put forward by the Ministry of Justice yesterday to increase fees for those seeking justice through the Immigration and Asylum tribunal system by 500% is yet another step towards putting access to justice beyond the means of those who most need it, warns the Bar Council.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 28th April 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

The Brave New World of Electronic Filing at the Central Family Court – Family Law Week

‘Michael Allum, Solicitor with The International Family Law Group LLP, explains how the Central Family Court’s pilot scheme for electronic filing of documents will work.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd April 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Asylum and immigration court fees set to rise by over 500% – The Guardian

‘Asylum and immigration tribunal fees are set to increase by more than 500% in order to help pay off the Ministry of Justice’s funding deficit.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CA: judge wrong to move hire costs dispute from RTA process to small claims court – Litigation Futures

Posted April 25th, 2016 in appeals, costs, damages, fees, insurance, news, road traffic, small claims by sally

‘A district judge was wrong to move a dispute over hire car costs from stage 3 of the RTA protocol to the small claims court, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 22nd April 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal aid cuts have led to surge in DIY defence, says charity – The Guardian

‘Miscarriages of justice and long delays in the criminal justice system are becoming more common because a growing number of people are having to represent themselves in court, legal experts have warned.’
Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk