Open Consultation – Transforming legal aid: crime duty contracts – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 29th, 2014 in consultations, contracts, Law Society, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, solicitors by tracey

‘A consultation on reports undertaken by Otterburn Legal Consulting and KPMG in relation to the proposed duty work contracts for criminal legal aid services.’

Full consultation

Ministry of Justice, 24th September

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Accountant’s reports safe from public exposure after FoI ruling – Legal Futures

‘The Law Society’s freedom of information adjudicator has rejected a bid to open up public access to accountant’s reports submitted to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th August 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society Sharia wills guidance “cannot change the law”, justice minister says – Legal Futures

‘The government has refused to be drawn into the row over controversial advice from the Law Society on Sharia-compliant wills, but insisted that it “does not, and cannot, change the law”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 28th July 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society urges people to leave instructions for their digital legacy – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2014 in intellectual property, internet, Law Society, news, wills by tracey

‘Solicitors organisation warns that too much valuable, intellectual property is in danger of being lost when we die.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Islamic law to be enshrined in British law as solicitors get guidelines on ‘Sharia compliant’ wills – The Independent

Posted March 24th, 2014 in codes of practice, islamic law, Law Society, news, rule of law, solicitors, wills by sally

‘Islamic law is to be effectively enshrined in the British legal system for the first time under guidelines for solicitors on drawing up “Sharia compliant” wills.’

Full story

The Independent, 23rd March 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

English civil court reforms “inconsistent, time-consuming and costly”, says Law Society – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 21st, 2014 in civil procedure rules, costs, Law Society, news, solicitors by sally

‘Civil courts in England and Wales are increasingly valuing “administration over access to justice” since wide-ranging reforms to procedures and costs came into force last year, the Law Society has claimed.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th March 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Commercial barristers and Law Society join chorus of opposition to court fee changes – Litigation Futures

Posted March 4th, 2014 in barristers, consultations, courts, fees, Law Society, news by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) proposals to increase court fees for litigants above cost price have been roundly condemned once again, with the Law Society and commercial barristers adding their voices to what has become a chorus of disapproval.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 4th March 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Vote of no confidence in Society leadership passes – Legal Voice

Posted December 19th, 2013 in Law Society, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘A vote of no confidence in the Law Society’s leadership over its handling of the criminal legal aid reforms has today been passed by 52% at a Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Society.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 17th December 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Chancery Lane issues advice on barristers’ VHCC protest – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 28th, 2013 in barristers, fees, industrial action, Law Society, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Firms should treat the withdrawal of barristers from very high cost cases (VHCCs) in protest over fee cuts like any other change of legal team, the Law Society has today advised.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th November 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Critics of legal aid cuts force Law Society vote – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2013 in budgets, consultations, Law Society, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“Solicitors opposed to government cuts in criminal legal aid have forced an emergency meeting of the Law Society to consider a no confidence motion in the profession’s leadership.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law Society rejects fixed recoverable costs for mesothelioma claims – Litigation Futures

Posted November 14th, 2013 in asbestos, costs, Law Society, news, personal injuries, pre-action conduct by tracey

“The Law Society has come out strongly against the introduction of fixed recoverable costs (FRCs) for mesothelioma claims and argued that while a dedicated pre-action protocol (PAP) could be a good idea, the one proposed by the Association of British Insurers and adopted by the government is not.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 14th November 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Solicitors’ indemnity insurance: Is the withdrawal of insurers creating a black hole for policyholders? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted October 30th, 2013 in disclosure, indemnities, insurance, Law Society, news, solicitors by sally

“Professional indemnity insurance (‘PII’) cover for solicitors is notoriously forgiving to policyholders on the issue of non-disclosure.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 18th October 2013

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Society backs challenge to advocacy quality scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 24th, 2013 in barristers, judicial review, Law Society, news, quality assurance by tracey

“The Law Society was today granted permission to intervene in the judicial review of the Legal Services Board’s approval of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd October 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

LSB sparks fresh independence row with call for regulators to have lay chairs – Legal Futures

“The frontline regulators need lay chairs at the helm so as to cut the ‘overly strong ties’ that still exist with their branches of the profession and have held back change, the Legal Services Board (LSB) said yesterday.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 9th October 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitors and consumers split over widening ombudsman’s remit to unregulated providers – Legal Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in dispute resolution, Law Society, legal ombudsman, legal profession, news by sally

“Solicitors and consumer representatives have come out on opposite sides of the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) proposal to extend its remit to the estimated 130,000 unregulated legal services providers operating in England and Wales.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

ASA dismisses complaints against Law Society’s anti-insurer advertising campaign – Litigation Futures

Posted August 29th, 2013 in advertising, complaints, insurance, Law Society, news by sally

“The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has dismissed complaints made about the Law Society’s ‘Don’t get mugged by an insurer’ campaign without an investigation.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 28th August 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Cost of practising as a solicitor to rise sharply – Legal Futures

“The cost of practising as a solicitor is set to rise at a rate of more than four times inflation, if the Law Society’s council approves figures that will be put before it later this week.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th July 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society defies scholars with Mendham Collection auction – The Guardian

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in auctioneers, budgets, Christianity, Law Society, legal aid, news by sally

“The Law Society, facing straitened times following successive cuts in legal aid, is auctioning a collection of rare Reformation-era bibles and religious tracts in defiance of protests from scholars.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Unite Against the Cuts – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

Posted May 30th, 2013 in civil justice, Law Society, legal aid, news by sally

“Lucy Scott-Moncrieff urges you to join the fight.”

Full story

Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 25th May 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

Society urges super-regulator to delay advocacy scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 2nd, 2013 in advocacy, law firms, Law Society, news, quality assurance, solicitors, tenders by sally

“The Law Society’s chief executive has urged super-regulator the Legal Services Board to delay implementation of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA), in recognition of the ‘profound shifts and uncertainties’ afflicting criminal practitioners.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st May 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk