Why the rise in contentious probate cases is set to continue – Legal Futures

Posted July 7th, 2020 in fees, law firms, news, probate, wills by sally

‘There is no doubt that contentious probate work is growing. We do not like paying more than a couple of hundred pounds for a will, but then are seemingly happy to spend thousands taking our relatives to court, and the two do not sit happily together.’

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Legal Futures, 6th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Top female lawyers’ careers squeezed by bias and harassment – Legal Futures

‘The role of discrimination on the part of both general counsel and clients in disadvantaging female lawyers was revealed yesterday by a survey on improving diversity at partner level in law firms.’

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Legal Futures, 1st July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Iraq veterans urged to join group action against MoD – Litigation Futures

‘Claims on behalf of British soldiers falsely accused of brutality and abuses against Iraqi civilians have added to this week’s rush of group actions.’

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Litigation Futures, 25th June 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Claimant loses all costs after assessment misconduct – Litigation Futures

Posted June 22nd, 2020 in civil procedure rules, costs, fees, law firms, news, sanctions, solicitors by sally

‘A claimant has lost all of his remaining entitlement to costs because of misconduct during the assessment process.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th June 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Tribunal strikes out “vexatious” claims against leading firm – Legal Futures

‘A former employee of national law firm Shoosmiths – who was awarded £1,000 in damages for harassment back in 2017 – has had a string of further claims thrown out, with an employment tribunal branding them vexatious.’

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Legal Futures, 18th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

ABSs “reshaping the boundaries of law” with integrated services – Legal Futures

‘Alternative business structures (ABSs) are reshaping the boundaries of the law by emphasising the benefit of integrated professional services, rather than pure legal knowledge, a leading academic has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 17th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Negligent advice warning over coronavirus jobs scheme – Legal Futures

Posted June 16th, 2020 in coronavirus, law firms, negligence, news, remuneration by sally

‘Lawyers and others who advised clients on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) are at risk of claims as the government looks to claw back payments to which recipients were not entitled, a professional negligence specialist has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 16th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Sweary senior partner wins damages reassessment – Legal Futures

Posted June 16th, 2020 in damages, employment tribunals, harassment, law firms, news, paralegals by sally

‘An employment tribunal has been ordered to reconsider the £47,000 in damages that it awarded to a paralegal subjected to foul-mouthed tirades by the senior partner of a London law firm.’

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Legal Futures, 12th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

90% of law firms “breaching transparency rules” – Legal Futures

‘The news comes with the regulator planning to step up its checks.’

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Legal Futures, 15th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Compensation Fund cuts would be “devastating” – Legal Futures

‘Cutting the maximum size of Compensation Fund awards from £2m to £500,000 could have a “devastating” impact on “unlucky claimants”, the Law Society has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor and firm sanctioned over property work – Legal Futures

‘A law firm earned some £800,000 in fees on three failed property development schemes as well as ‘quick sale’ conveyancing where it acted for both sides, a tribunal has heard.’

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Legal Futures, 1st June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Eureka moment? Law firms report rush to patent ideas amid UK lockdown – The Guardian

Posted May 27th, 2020 in coronavirus, intellectual property, law firms, news, patents by sally

‘Intellectual property lawyers report increased demand for services during Covid-19 crisis.’

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The Guardian, 24th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Can you sack your opponent’s solicitor? You can try… Glencairn IP Holdings Ltd v Product Specialities Inc (t/a ‘Final Touch’) [2020] EWCA Civ 609 – Hailsham Chambers

Posted May 26th, 2020 in chambers articles, confidentiality, disclosure, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘It is well established that a litigant may restrain his former solicitors from acting for his opponent where: (i) those former solicitors are in possession of relevant, adverse confidential information and (ii) there is even a slight risk of that information being disclosed (Bolkiah v KPMG).1 But the issue in Glencairn, was whether a litigant could prevent solicitors from acting for his current opponent because that firm had acted for a former opponent in similar litigation which was settled on confidential terms. Did the solicitors’ knowledge of the applicant’s confidential settlement strategy in similar litigation (against a different party) give an unfair advantage which meant the solicitors should be prohibited from acting?’

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Hailsham Chambers, 13th May 2020

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

Shut-down firm ordered to pay former staff £375,000 – Legal Futures

‘A law firm shut down by its regulator last year has been ordered to pay former staff £375,000 for multiple employment law breaches.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge explains himself in writing after phone hearing fails – Legal Futures

‘A High Court judge has been forced to issue a detailed judgment in writing because his voice was “breaking up” at the end of a telephone hearing with a litigant in person (LiP) and the law firm suing her for fees.’

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Legal Futures, 13th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds law firm’s Chinese wall – Legal Futures

Posted May 12th, 2020 in fiduciary duty, injunctions, law firms, news by sally

‘A law firm acting for different defendants against the same claimant did not owe that claimant a true fiduciary duty, and so did not have to prove its Chinese Wall worked, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 11th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB to check random sample of disciplinary decisions – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) is planning to review a “random sample” of regulators’ disciplinary decisions to ensure the right processes and procedures are in place.’

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Legal Futures, 4th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“My friend’s name is Sidley” – Domain hijack bid fails – Legal Futures

Posted April 30th, 2020 in dispute resolution, domain names, law firms, news by sally

‘A man who claimed to have registered the domain name “sidleylawyers.co.uk” on behalf of a friend called Sidley who was about to qualify has been ordered to hand it over to US giant Sidley Austin.’

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Legal Futures, 30th April 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA allows trainees to qualify before completing PSC – Legal Futures

‘Trainee solicitors will be able to qualify without first completing the professional skills course (PSC) because of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has decided.’

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Legal Futures, 24th April 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal “incredulous” after firm secretary ends up in client’s will – Legal Futures

‘An employment tribunal has expressed its “incredulity” at the way a solicitor’s former secretary befriended one of his clients and ended up in the client’s will.’

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Legal Futures, 21st April 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk