#MeToo and the justice system: complaints up, but convictions down – The Guardian

‘The clearest impact of the #MeToo movement on the British justice system has been a sharp rise in the number of complaints made to police of rape and sexual assault over the past two years.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal profession excels in social mobility league table – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 8th, 2019 in diversity, government departments, law firms, legal profession, news by sally

‘The legal profession once again dominates a league table of 75 employers doing the most to improve social mobility – occupying four spots in the top 10.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

First 100 Years podcast – An Evening in Conversation with Dame Janet Smith DBE and Dame Caroline Swift DBE – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Dame Janet Smith and Dame Caroline Swift can be heard in a First 100 Years podcast talking about their life on the Northern Circuit, their friendship and their distinguished judicial careers.’

Podcast

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 27th September 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

‘Authorities say my 15-year-old client is 27 and want to deport him’: my job as a legal aid lawyer – The Guardian

Posted August 20th, 2019 in asylum, children, deportation, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

‘I go home each night worrying about my clients. I wonder who would know if something bad ever happened to them.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Guidelines “preserve GCs’ independence amidst corporate tension” – Legal Futures

‘Comprehensive guidelines to boost the roles of, and relationships between, in-house lawyers (IHLs) and non-executive directors (NEDs), have been drawn up in the hope of minimising the chances of an ethical lapse damaging both the companies they serve and the public interest.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 28th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal profession launches pledge to achieve gender equality – Legal Futures

Posted June 21st, 2019 in equality, gender, legal profession, news by sally

‘Solicitors, barristers and chartered legal executives have launched a pledge to “achieve gender equality in senior ranks of the profession”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 20th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Women lawyers face uphill struggle on fees and salaries – Legal Futures

Posted June 19th, 2019 in bias, equality, fees, legal profession, news, remuneration, reports, women by sally

‘Some clients expect discounts on fees for using a female lawyer while women who push for higher salaries are likely to be labelled “aggressive”, a global survey by the Law Society has found. The report concluded that quotas could help to tackle inequality as there was “no real equality or meritocracy in the legal profession”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers “confused by boundaries in wake of #MeToo” – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers and regulators are uncertain where the boundaries lie on misconduct in the wake of the #MeToo revelations, experts have warned.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 10th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Mayson spells out hard choices in reforming legal regulation – Legal Futures

Posted June 7th, 2019 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, news, regulations, solicitors by sally

‘The head of the independent review of legal services regulation said yesterday that scrapping regulation based on titles like solicitor or barrister and replacing it with a system based on legal activities “might not be as straightforward as some believe”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 7th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge slashes solicitors’ trial costs saying: Leave the work to counsel – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A Court of Appeal judge has made clear that solicitors should not be paid for trial preparation that is capable of being dealt with by counsel.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th May 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Accountancy body wins right to regulate oaths – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Chartered accountancy regulator the ICAEW has received a crumb of comfort from the lord chancellor in its long-running campaign to become a regulator of reserved legal activities. David Gauke revealed today that he has decided to grant an application for the ICAEW to become an approved regulator and licensing authority in relation to the administration of oaths.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 22nd May 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Principles for lawyers dealing with offshore structures published – Legal Futures

‘International standards for lawyers advising on offshore commercial structures have been put forward at the same time as parliamentarians called for stronger laws on foreign ownership of UK property.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 20th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Us Too? Bullying and Harassment in the Legal Profession – International Bar Association

‘The legal profession has a problem. In 2018, the International Bar Association (IBA) and market research company Acritas conducted the largest-ever global survey on bullying and sexual harassment in the profession. Nearly 7,000 individuals from 135 countries responded to the survey, from across the spectrum of legal workplaces: law firms, in-house, barristers’ chambers, government and the judiciary. The results provide empirical confirmation that bullying and sexual harassment are rife in the legal profession.’

Full press release

International Bar Association, 15th May 2019

Source: www.ibanet.org/Default.aspx

‘I was sworn at and told I was useless’: law’s problem with bullying at work – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2019 in barristers, bullying, law firms, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘A recent survey has revealed experiences of aggressive behaviour and incivility from bosses and colleagues.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bullying and sexual harassment rife among lawyers, global survey finds – The Guardian

‘Bullying and sexual harassment are rife in the legal profession, according to a global survey that identifies Britain as somewhere such behaviour is prevalent.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Challenge to delegation of costs lawyer’s work fails – Litigation Futures

Posted May 13th, 2019 in costs, drafting, legal profession, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘A challenge to a costs lawyer’s delegation of work to unqualified colleagues has failed, with a judge saying that to rule otherwise would make their work for members of the public “impossible”.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 13th May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Speech by the Lord Chief Justice: English Law on the World Stage – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted May 9th, 2019 in judges, judiciary, jurisdiction, legal profession, speeches by sally

‘Speech by the Lord Chief Justice: English Law on the World Stage.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 8th May 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Speech by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court: cryptoassets as property – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court, gave a speech to the Joint Northern Chancery Bar Association and University of Liverpool Lecture, entitled: “Cryptoassets as property: how can English law boost the confidence of would-be parties to smart legal contracts?” ‘

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 3rd May 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Three convicted for providing unregulated legal advice – Legal Futures

‘Owners of a business that falsely claimed it could supervise immigration law firms and made millions of pounds as a result, along with a director of one of those franchises, have been convicted at the Old Bailey.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers are second most stressed professionals, research claims – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 9th, 2019 in legal profession, mental health, news by sally

‘Lawyers are the second most stressed professionals in the country, a survey of 1,000 British workers has found.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th April 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk