Judge punishes firm that placed ‘scant importance’ on court orders – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 15th, 2017 in civil procedure rules, delay, law firms, news, striking out by sally

‘The High Court has refused a personal injury firm relief from sanctions after an excoriating analysis of its non-compliance with court orders.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 13th June 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Weak competition” and legal culture behind lack of external investment through ABS, says LSB report – Legal Futures

‘The low level of external investment in law firms since alternative business structures (ABSs) were allowed more than five years ago “may be a symptom of weak competition in the market overall”, a Legal Services Board (LSB) report has suggested.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 15th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court orders trial over enforcement of disputed DBA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 15th, 2017 in agreements, costs, damages, delay, law firms, news by sally

‘The High Court has allowed for trial of a preliminary issue in a case concerning the limits of a damages based agreement (DBA).’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 13th June 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Claimant firm castigated for “procedural chaos” that saw case struck out – Litigation Futures

‘A claimant law firm that allowed a straightforward and relatively low-value road traffic accident claim to descend into “procedural chaos” has seen it struck out by the High Court.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 13th June 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Leigh Day exonerated after longest and most expensive disciplinary tribunal prosecution ever – Legal Futures

‘The longest and most expensive case brought in the history of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has ended with high-profile claimant lawyer Martyn Day, two of his colleagues and his firm Leigh Day fully exonerated.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Firms face trade mark squatting woes – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 7th, 2017 in China, international law, law firms, news, trade marks by sally

‘International law firms face being held to ransom after falling foul of China’s problematic trade mark filing rules.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 6th June 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Pro bono legal advice panel for victims of London attack – Law Society

Posted June 7th, 2017 in charities, law firms, Law Society, London, news, pro bono work, solicitors, terrorism by sally

‘People bereaved and injured following the attack on London Bridge will be offered free legal advice through a panel of solicitor firms to be convened by the Law Society of England and Wales with LawWorks, the solicitors’ pro bono charity, and the City of London Law Society.’

Full Story

Law Society, 6th June 2017

Source: www.lawsociety.org.uk

Law Society publishes first slavery and human trafficking statement – Legal Futures

Posted June 6th, 2017 in contracts, law firms, news, solicitors, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘The Law Society has issued its first slavery and human trafficking statement, in compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, emphasising its commitment to ensuring that “such practices have no place within its supply chain or other activities”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 6th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitors lose claim over losses caused by tax mitigation schemes – Legal Futures

Posted June 5th, 2017 in accountants, law firms, negligence, news, solicitors, tax avoidance by tracey

‘Partners at a leading personal injury law firm have lost a professional negligence action against the accountants who recommended they sign up to two ultimately unsuccessful tax mitigation schemes.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 5th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers make the grade in BAME ‘power lists’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 1st, 2017 in diversity, equality, law firms, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

‘Eight lawyers including six magic circle partners have been named in a power list celebrating the best BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) business leaders.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 30th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High Court strikes out negligence claim against private client firm – Legal Futures

Posted May 31st, 2017 in law firms, limitations, negligence, news, striking out, trusts by sally

The High Court has struck out a negligence claim against London private client specialists Harcus Sinclair on the grounds that it was statute-barred.

Full Story

Legal Futures, 31st May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court ticks off unregulated legal business for not being clearer about its status – Legal Futures

Posted May 19th, 2017 in barristers, law firms, legal services, news by tracey

‘The High Court has criticised an unregulated legal business run by a unregistered barrister for “sailing too close to the wind” by failing to be clear in correspondence that it was not a solicitors’ firm.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal backs claimant solicitors in “£400 club” case – Litigation Futures

‘Solicitors who received the £400 stage 1 fixed-costs payment due under the original version of the RTA protocol do not have to repay the money even though no action was then taken on their cases, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 16th May 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

What’s in a name? Appeal judges reject pleas of claimant who sued wrong firm – Legal Futures

‘Appeal judges have rejected the pleas of a claimant who, faced by two law firms with similar names set up by the same solicitor, sued the wrong one.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 16th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Not-for-profit criminal firm takes business-like approach and plots future civil work – Legal Futures

Posted May 15th, 2017 in criminal justice, law firms, news by sally

‘The first not-for-profit criminal law firm – which opened its doors last month – has underlined its intention to generate surpluses like any other business; it will just distribute them differently.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 15th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The addition of parties after limitation has expired – Zenith PI

Posted May 9th, 2017 in appeals, law firms, limitations, negligence, news, personal injuries by tracey

‘Godfrey Morgan Solicitors (A Firm) v Michael Arms [2017] EWCA Civ 323. The Appellant firm of solicitors appealed against the decision of a first instance appeal which determined that it had been properly added as a Defendant to a claim for professional negligence despite the prior expiry of the relevant limitation period.’

Full story

Zenith PI, 8th May 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Court of Appeal orders controversial firm to compensate ex-miner for negligence – Legal Futures

Posted May 2nd, 2017 in appeals, compensation, law firms, miners, negligence, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a ruling that Raleys – the controversial but now defunct Barnsley law firm – should not have to compensate a miner who argued that its admitted negligence had caused him to settle a claim at an undervalue.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

ABS targets continued expansion as ‘second cities’ strategy and non-legal services see turnover rocket – Legal Futures

Posted May 2nd, 2017 in alternative business structures, law firms, news by sally

‘Fast-growing alternative business structure Knights Professional Services is on the look-out for its next acquisition and ‘second city’ location – as well as more non-legal services – after unveiling an increase of more than 60% in turnover over the past year to £33.5m.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Woman who set up male-only divorce law firm says men are the ‘biggest losers’ in cases – The Independent

Posted April 25th, 2017 in divorce, gender, law firms, news by sally

‘A lawyer who set up her own firm specifically to help men in divorce proceedings has said it is men who are often the “biggest losers” in cases, not women.’

Full story

The Independent, 24th April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lawyers must be able to bring cases against government ‘without fear of reprisals’ – The Guardian

‘Lawyers must be able to bring cases against the government “without fear of recrimination or reprisals”, the high-profile solicitors’ firm Leigh Day has declared on the eve of its trial for alleged professional misconduct.’

Full story

The Guardian, 24th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk