Evolution or revolution – are we ready for a single legal services regulator? – Legal Services Board

Posted May 1st, 2014 in legal profession, legal services, Legal Services Board, news by sally

Evolution or revolution – are we ready for a single legal services regulator? (PDF)

David Edmonds, Chairman, Legal Services Board

Modern Law Magazine Conference, 29th April 2014

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Documents remained privileged when they were sent on to third party’s work email address, High Court rules – OUT-LAW.com

‘Highly confidential documents that were subject to legal professional privilege (LPP) did not lose this status when they were emailed by a party to his girlfriend, who then forwarded them to and accessed them through her work email account, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 28th April 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Merging chambers – challenges and opportunities – The Future of Law

Posted April 22nd, 2014 in barristers, legal profession, mergers, news by sally

‘Kate Beaumont interviews Frank Feehan QC, head of chambers at 42 Bedford Row, on the forthcoming merger between 42 Bedford Row and a substantial number of 13 King’s Bench Walk.’

Full story

The Future of Law, 16th April 2014

Source: www.futureoflaw.lexisnexis.co.uk

‘Culture change’ needed to embrace fee-charging McKenzie friends – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Fee-charging McKenzie friends increase access to justice and make up a “legitimate feature of the modern legal market”, according to a report published today by watchdog the Legal Services Consumer Panel. The president of the Law Society described the panel’s findings as “worrying”.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th April 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Young women lawyers – stop feeling so entitled and get on with it, says top female judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 4th, 2014 in judges, legal profession, news, women by sally

‘Dame Anne Rafferty, an Appeal Court judge, has said that girls today have a sense of entitlement that stops them from getting on with their jobs.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge cites Karl Marx in rejecting law firm’s bid to exit professional indemnity scheme – Legal Futures

Posted March 25th, 2014 in insurance, law firms, legal profession, news by sally

‘One of the world’s leading offshore law firms has been knocked back by a judge quoting Karl Marx, after seeking a waiver from the Isle of Man Law Society’s indemnity insurance requirements.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th March 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New guidance will help barristers carry out their duties to clients, says regulator – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 6th, 2014 in barristers, complaints, legal profession, press releases, solicitors by sally

‘New guidance for solicitors on how they should assist barristers in telling clients of their right to complain will help members of the Bar carry out their duty, says the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 5th March 2014

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

How To: combine two careers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 4th, 2014 in legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

‘Is it possible to pursue a second vocation alongside the law?’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd March 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Is it time to rethink a career at the criminal bar? – The Guardian

Posted February 20th, 2014 in barristers, legal profession, news, pupillage by sally

‘Law students have a lot to think about before pursuing a career at the criminal bar.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers to stage full-day walkout over legal aid cuts in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Criminal courts across England and Wales will be severely disrupted next month when barristers and solicitors escalate their protests against legal aid cuts by staging a full-day walkout.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New duty will require judges to report lawyers subject to wasted costs orders to regulators – Litigation Futures

‘Judges making wasted costs orders (WCOs) are to be placed under a duty to report the lawyers involved to their regulator in a bid to make them “consider more carefully the decisions they make in handling a case”, the government has decided.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 6th February 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Launch of the Bar Standards Board handbook; challenges and opportunities – Attorney General’s Office

‘Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC MP keynote speech at the launch of new Bar Standards Board handbook.’

Full story

Attorney General’s Office,

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Attorney General “warned LSB about regulatory creep” but indicates no roll-back of Clementi – Legal Futures

‘The Attorney General has warned about the “danger” of regulators micro-managing the legal profession, but also indicated that the government is unlikely to roll back the Clementi reforms that led to the creation of independent regulators.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 23rd January 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Review of Provision of Independent Criminal Advocacy: COIC and ATC Submission – The Inner Temple

Posted January 6th, 2014 in advocacy, inns of court, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

‘This paper is written by representatives of the Council of the Inns of Court and the Advocacy Training Council to assist the ‘Review of the Provision of Independent Criminal Advocacy’ currently being undertaken by Sir Bill Jeffrey at the request of the Secretary of State for Justice.’

Full story

The Inner Temple, December 2014

Source: www.innertemple.org.uk

Lawyers want whistleblowing rules simplified – No. 5 Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2013 in employment, legal profession, news, whistleblowers by sally

‘The Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) has called for changes to the law on whistleblowing.’

Full story

No. 5 Chambers, 4th December 2013

Source: www.no5.com

Law as a New Religion and Other Topics – Gresham College

Posted December 12th, 2013 in human rights, legal education, legal profession, news, speeches by sally

‘Law is everywhere providing answers to almost everything. Ever larger numbers of students want to be part of the legal mechanisms that control us, regulate us and take over from politicians when politicians sense their own incapability. It is almost a new religion. In this lecture – and in the discussion to follow – some of the issues dealt with in earlier years by Professor Bogdanor (such as in his lectures, Judges or Legislators: Who Should Rule?, The Judges and the Constitution and The Human Rights Act: Cornerstone of a New Constitution) will be reviewed as will the effect of Europe on our law.’

Transcript

Gresham College, 4th December 2013

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

Nicholas Lavender QC delivers Inaugural Address to 2014 Bar Council – The Bar Council

Posted December 10th, 2013 in barristers, legal profession, speeches by sally

‘Nicholas Lavender QC delivers Inaugural Address to 2014 Bar Council.’

Full speech

The Bar Council, 9th December 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

High Court judge warns of dangers of lawyers “over-specialising” – Legal Futures

Posted December 9th, 2013 in barristers, jurisdiction, legal education, legal profession, news, queen's counsel by sally

‘Specialisation in the legal profession has narrowed to the point where it is possible for a barrister to become a Queen’s Counsel without ever having cross-examined a witness, according to Mr Justice Rabinder Singh.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th December 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Attorney General and the Lord Chief Justice issue revised guidance to the legal profession on disclosure – Attorney General’s Office

Posted December 5th, 2013 in criminal procedure, disclosure, legal profession, news by sally

‘The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP and the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales the Lord Thomas today [3 December] published a revised judicial protocol and revised guidance on the disclosure of unused material in criminal cases. They have been prepared following the recommendations of Lord Justice Gross in his September 2011 ‘Review of Disclosure in Criminal Proceedings’ and take account of Lord Justice Gross and Lord Justice Treacy’s ‘Further review of disclosure in criminal proceedings: sanctions for disclosure failure’, published in November 2012.’

Full story

Attorney General’s Office, 3rd December 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Small and mighty – Legal Voice

Posted November 26th, 2013 in law firms, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

‘The government may want to hand out criminal legal aid contracts to fewer, bigger firms, but smaller practices with lower overhead costs are arguably in a better position to survive the planned 17.5 per cent cuts, argues David Gilmore.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 26th November 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk