Asylum lawyers warned over disclosure – BBC News
“Lawyers could be disciplined for not disclosing ‘all material facts’ in legal bids to halt removal of asylum seekers, a senior judge has said.”
BBC News, 19th November 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: law firms
Hooper: call police over ‘corrupt’ referral fees – Law Society’s Gazette
“A former Court of Appeal judge earlier this week called for lawyers who pay or receive ‘corrupt’ referral fees to be reported to the police. Lord Justice Hooper told the bar conference that the growth of referral fees, which ‘corruptly’ influence the choice of trial advocate, is the most pernicious consequence of the government’s ‘savage’ legal aid cuts.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 15th November 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Pro bono: do we need to rethink the formula post legal aid? – The Guardian
“A survey shows that most law firms have not planned to change their pro bono activity to respond to the cuts in legal aid.”
The Guardian, 6th November 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Pro bono – minding the gap – Law Society’s Gazette
“The tough economic climate, coupled with the threat to frontline advice agencies from local authority and legal aid cuts, has dramatically increased demand for free legal help. National Pro Bono Week, which starts on 5 November, will focus attention on the question ‘is something better than nothing?’ as law firms of all sizes explore how they can best respond, and in-house counsel press for regulatory change so they can offer more pro bono support.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 25th October 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
LASPO and the domestic violence gateway – LegalVoice
“As a solicitor, who set up a firm with two other family lawyers in 2005 primarily to deal with family legal aid cases for the mixed housing area of Shirley in Southampton where we practice, I was very concerned when I heard of the proposed new reforms for family legal aid work, writes Wendy Hewstone. I am a member of the Legal Aid Practitioner Group committee and have the Law Society council seat for the group so was probably more aware of the proposed changes than many and have seen and responded to numerous consultation papers.”
LegalVoice, 15th October 2012
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Don’t be afraid to complain about your lawyer says Legal Ombudsman – The Guardian
“Clients of law firms are scared to complain when things go wrong and are confused about the complaints system.”
The Guardian, 15th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
IBA 2012: former president of American bar dismisses ‘risky’ ABS model – Law Society’s Gazette
“The immediate past-president of the American Bar Association has strongly denounced alternative business structures, arguing that non-lawyer investment in law firms compromises the client’s best interests and undermines professional independence.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 4th October 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Complaints data naming law firms goes live today – Law Society’s Gazette
“The Legal Ombudsman has today published an online list of complaints relating to 770 law firms across England and Wales.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 17th September 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Calm in a crisis: lawyers and the internet age – Law Society’s Gazette
“There are events in the life-cycle of any business that have the potential to snowball into a crisis of unforeseen proportions. It could be a bad set of financial results or a scuppered merger. Or perhaps employee lay-offs, a high-profile desertion to a rival or allegations of misconduct by senior staff. Or it might be a testing issue with a client. But while difficult business decisions may not be avoidable, especially in this tough economic climate, a crisis played out in the media can be managed or averted by taking the right steps.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 6th September 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – The Bar Council
“A tribute to outgoing Law Society President, John Wotton; a welcome to his successor, Lucy Scott‐Moncrieff, defender of the High Street law firm; examining the aims of Price Competitive Tendering and the likely results both for the Bar and for justice.”
Full story (PDF)
The Bar Council, August 2012
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
ABS offers barristers at £75 an hour – Law Society’s Gazette
“A new law firm which promises clients fixed fees and immediate face-to-face meetings with barristers has become the latest alternative business structure (ABS). Red Bar Law was formed in September last year and applied to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for ABS status in January. Today the SRA confirmed it has become the ninth organisation to be granted a licence, which will be effective from 10 July.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd July 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Lawyers must do better – The Guardian
“Legal insurance and conditional and fixed-fee arrangements aren’t serving people’s best interests.”
The Guardian, 19th July 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Shifting the burden: support for stress – Law Society’s Gazette
“The suicide last year of a senior local authority solicitor who felt unable to cope with the demands placed on him following a 30% cut to his department’s budget shocked the profession.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 21st June 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Lawyers gear up for rush on domain names – but firms fail to register – The Lawyer
“The scramble for new domain names is likely to bring a rash of work for specialist IP, media and technology lawyers.”
The Lawyer, 18th June 2012
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Consultation paper on extending the SRA’s compensation fund for ABS beyond the end of the year – Legal Services Board
“The intention of this consultation document is to ensure that there are adequate compensation arrangements for SRA regulated ABS firms after 31 December 2012.
Also included in the document is a draft Order published in accordance with section 70 of the LSA.”
Legal Services Board, 14th June 2012
Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk
New licence will allow law firm clients free access to publishers’ work – OUT-LAW.com
“Organisations will be able to obtain free access to some publishers’ digital content through their law firm under a new licensing option on offer by the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA).”
OUT-LAW.com, 8th June 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
Team Move Update – 11 KBW
“What developments have there been now that the dust has settled on the Tullett litigation?”
Full story (PDF)
11 KBW, 1st June 2012
Source: www.11kbw.com
SARs ruling brings relief to law firms – Law Society’s Gazette
“A Court of Appeal ruling on anti-money-laundering obligations will bring relief for businesses, including law firms, and remind lawyers of the importance of having appropriate systems to evidence concerns leading to suspicious activity reports (SARs).”
Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
