Firms seek to launch High Court challenge to LSC tender process – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 20th, 2010 in judicial review, law firms, legal aid, legal services, news, tenders by sally

“Some 31 firms across the north-east have joined forces in a bid to launch a High Court challenge to the Legal Services Commission’s recent family tender process, the Gazette has learned.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 19th August 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law firms report rise in job-related legal advice cases – The Guardian

Posted August 18th, 2010 in employment, law firms, news, redundancy, unfair dismissal by sally

“Solicitors are experiencing a sharp rise in the number of people seeking legal advice as to whether they have a case for unfair dismissal against their employers, despite the latest official figures last week showing a drop in unemployment.”

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The Guardian, 18th August 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-miners claim injuries were under-compensated – BBC News

Posted August 18th, 2010 in compensation, complaints, industrial injuries, law firms, miners, news by sally

“A group of former miners who suffered industrial injuries are claiming they received inadequate compensation from a government scheme.”

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BBC News, 18th August 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid cuts put access to justice at risk, say lawyers – The Guardian

Posted August 17th, 2010 in law firms, legal aid, legal representation, legal services, news, tenders by sally

“Thousands of the most vulnerable people risk being denied emergency access to free advice from lawyers following major changes to the way legal aid is delivered, family law experts warn today.”

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The Guardian, 17th august 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Solicitors battle to continue forced marriages work – The Independent

Posted August 16th, 2010 in forced labour, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“A firm of solicitors is fighting to continue its work helping victims of forced marriages after being told it no longer qualifies for legal aid funding.”

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The Independent, 13th August 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fears over legal aid to vulnerable – The Independent

Posted August 9th, 2010 in law firms, legal aid, news by sally

“A big reduction in the number of firms offering legal aid for vulnerable families risks creating ‘advice deserts’ in parts of the UK, lawyers have warned.”

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The Independent, 7th August 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Coal miners pursue law firms over ‘undersettled’ compensation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 30th, 2010 in class actions, compensation, law firms, miners, news by sally

“The first known court actions against law firms for alleged undersettlement of sick coal miners’ government compensation claims will begin preliminary hearings in mid-August, the Gazette has learned. A number of defendant firms have already settled out of court.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Seldon v Clarkson Wright & Jakes (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted July 30th, 2010 in age discrimination, appeals, law firms, law reports, retirement, solicitors by sally

Seldon v Clarkson Wright & Jakes (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills intervening) [2010] EWCA Civ 899; [2010] WLR (D) 206

 “A rule providing for the compulsory retirement at 65 of partners in a firm of solicitors was a proportionate means of achieving legitimate aims relating to recruitment and promotions within the firm.”

WLR Daily, 28th July 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Private law firms letting down the side on diversity – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2010 in equality, law firms, legal profession, news by sally

“The UK’s legal profession continues to drag its feet in ensuring the same opportunities for all regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.”

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The Guardian, 7th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Britain’s top law firms lose their magic touch in the downturn – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 6th, 2010 in law firms, news by sally

Britain’s top law firms are losing their magic touch in the downturn with Linklaters the latest to be hit by the dearth of mergers and acquisitions activity.

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Daily Telegraph, 6th July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawyers warn that court closures could threaten access to justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 1st, 2010 in consultations, courts, law firms, magistrates, news by sally

“Lawyers have warned that government proposals to close nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales could threaten access to justice and increase pressure on legal aid practitioners.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

More immigration advice providers could close – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2010 in immigration, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

“More organisations providing immigration and asylum advice could face closure as only 252 out of over 400 applicants were successful in their bids for contracts from the Legal Service Commission.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar rules delay blamed for low LDP take-up – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 28th, 2010 in alternative business structures, barristers, law firms, news by sally

“The delay in the relaxation of rules preventing barristers from entering law firm partnerships has been blamed for the low take-up of the first wave of new legal business structures.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 27th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Eversheds to fight employment tribunal bias ruling – Law Society’s Gazette

“National firm Eversheds last week lodged an appeal against an Employment Tribunal ruling that it must pay £123,300 in compensation to a male associate who suffered sexual discrimination during the firm’s 2009 redundancy programme.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 13th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Employment Appeal Tribunal issues TUPE judgment on contract wins – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 29th, 2010 in contracts, employment tribunals, law firms, news, transfer of undertakings by sally

“The first case to reach the Employment Appeal Tribunal concerning a dispute between two law firms over the employment law implications of winning a client contract from another firm has provided ‘much-needed clarification’ on the issue, experts have said.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

General counsel ‘bypass law firms’ and go directly to the bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 29th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“General counsel are increasingly bypassing law firms to go directly to the bar for legal advice, according to a report published today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Firms face bar competition after conduct rules relaxed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 9th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, news by sally

“Changes to the barristers’ code of conduct that enable them to undertake work that was previously only open to solicitors will increase competition but give law firms the opportunity to pick up ‘talent from the bar’, according to consultants.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Historic Liberalisation of Permitted Practice at the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 6th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board approves Bar Standards Board applications designed to relax provisions in Code of Conduct for barristers’ working practices.”

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Bar Standards Board, 1st April 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

O2 condemns lawyers targeting alleged file-sharers – BBC News

Posted March 18th, 2010 in copyright, internet, law firms, news, telecommunications by sally

“Mobile firm O2 has stepped into the row over thousands of controversial letters that are being sent to alleged illegal file-sharers in the UK.”

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BBC News, 17th March 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fears over non-Muslims’ use of Islamic law to resolve disputes – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2010 in dispute resolution, islamic law, law firms, news, tribunals by sally

“Campaigners have voiced concerns over a growing number of non-Muslims using Islamic law to resolve legal disputes in Britain despite controversy over the role of sharia law.”

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The Guardian, 14th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk