Passed on Thursday, in force today – new AML regulations thrust on profession – Legal Futures

‘Law firm compliance officers and money laundering reporting officers have been scrambling to get to grips with the biggest shake-up in anti-money laundering (AML) rules in a decade, with the final regulations – which were only published on Thursday – coming into force today.’

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Legal Futures, 26th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firms, legal executives and licensed conveyancers join forces to lobby for leasehold reform

Posted June 21st, 2017 in conveyancing, housing, law firms, Law Society, leases, legal executives, news by sally

‘A new property law alliance, the Legal Sector Group (LSG), has written to the government, with a detailed set of proposals on leasehold reform.’

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Legal Futures, 21st June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The ‘diva of divorce’ for the world’s super rich – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2017 in divorce, law firms, news, solicitors, women by sally

‘If you ever spy your wife or husband in discussion with Ayesha Vardag you might need to panic.’

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BBC News, 19th June 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

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.’

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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.’

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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).’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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”.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk