Why lawyers can’t coach witnesses – The Guardian
“If lawyers are preparing David Cameron for his appearance before Lord Justice Leveson, they are on perilous ground.”
The Guardian, 8th May 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: legal profession
Flexible working patterns – Law Society’s Gazette
“In the legal profession’s workaholic culture, achieving work/life balance has always been a struggle – and still is. The term ‘work/life balance’ has such negative connotations in private practice that some firms have banned it from their vocabulary. At Ashurst, for example, they refer to ‘work/life fit’. Speaking at the International Women in Law Summit last month, Ashurst senior partner Charlie Geffen said how one ‘fits home life into work’ was ‘a more honest’ description of what was realistic in law firms, particularly in transactional work.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 26th April 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
How do you get lawyers to do what is ‘right’? – The Guardian
“UCL Centre for Ethics and Law hopes to create a culture where lawyers do more than complying with the minimum they can get away with.”
The Guardian, 5th April 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Eldon Lecture on workforce diversity – Legal Services Board
Eldon Lecture on workforce diversity (PDF)
Lecture by LSB Chairman David Edmonds
Legal Services Board, 22nd March 2012
Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk
Attend our handbook and entity regulation roadshows – Bar Standards Board
“We have launched a consultation on a new Code of Conduct for barristers, which includes our proposals for regulating new types of business structure.”
Bar Standards Board, 20th March 2012
Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
Females make up just 20 per cent of honorary silk nominations – The Lawyer
“Just 20 per cent of the people nominated for the honorary QC title in the past three years were women, The Lawyer can reveal.”
The Lawyer, 20th March 2012
Source: www.thelawyer.com
LSB welcomes the release of the Social Mobility Toolkit – Legal Services Board
“The Legal Services Board (LSB) today welcomes the publication of the Social Mobility Toolkit, a resource aimed at creating a step-change in social mobility across the professions. The proposal for the publication emerged from an LSB- chaired group bringing representatives from the professions together to discuss the implications of the Milburn Report on Fair Access to the Professions for regulators and professional bodies as they seek to improve access for non-traditional candidates, as well as to ensure they become better represented at higher levels of industry.”
Legal Services Board, 2nd March 2012
Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk
No solicitors make the silk round – Law Society’s Gazette
“Not a single solicitor was among the 88 new Queen’s Counsel appointments announced today. Of the 214 applicants, only two came from solicitor advocates; neither was successful. Since 2008, six solicitors have been made QC. Last year two out of the five who applied were successful, while in the previous competition one from the 10 who applied succeeded. Dame Joan Higgins, chair of the QC selection panel, said: ‘The panel is concerned that there appears to be considerable hesitancy on the part of solicitor advocates to apply for silk, even where they may be well qualified to do so.’”
Law Society’s Gazette, 29th February 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Judge criticises lawyer fees as “out of kilter” – Daily Telegraph
“A senior judge has warned there is ‘something out of kilter’ in the civil justice system after hearing a case in which lawyers were paid almost six times more than their client.”
Daily Telegraph, 16th February 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Ratings scheme for advocates will be misused by criminals, judge warns – The Guardian
“A senior judge has warned that a new ratings scheme for advocates will encourage more criminals to appeal against their convictions and create a generation of sycophantic barristers desperate to impress judges at the expense of their clients’ interests.”
The Guardian, 13th February 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
The bar can bridge the gap – The Guardian
“Barristers should stop insulting solicitor advocates and take steps to merge the two professions.”
The Guardian, 8th February 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Protect legal privilege, bar urges government – Law Society’s Gazette
“The Bar Council has urged the government to protect the right of citizens to hold private conversations with their lawyers. The call, supported the Law Society, comes as the proposed Protection of Freedoms Bill, intended to protect people from unwarranted state intrusion in their private lives, goes through parliament.”
Law Society’s Gazette. 9th February 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Are lawyers in right-to-die cases breaking the law? – UK Human Rights Blog
“Albert Camus famously wrote: ‘there is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.’ However profound a philosophical problem, the question of suicide or, more precisely, assisted suicide is proving quite a legal conundrum.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 31st January 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Lawyers in right-to-die case can act without fear of prosecution – The Guardian
“Lawyers for a stroke victim who wants help to end his life can continue to act on his behalf without fear of prosecution or disciplinary action following a high court ruling.”
The Guardian, 27th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Lawyers make millions from NHS negligence claims – Daily Telegraph
“Lawyers are earning ‘success fees’ totalling £66 million a year for helping patients to sue the NHS, new figures have revealed.”
Daily Telegraph, 29th January 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Cameron extends PI fees cap in attack on ‘albatross’ safety culture – Law Society’s Gazette
“David Cameron today announced plans to cap lawyers’ fees from personal injury claims at £25,000. Speaking to an audience of small companies, the prime minister launched an attack on the so-called compensation culture and blamed it for holding back the growth of UK businesses.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 5th January 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Coalition plans to kill off ‘health and safety monster’ with limits on lawyers’ fees – Daily Telegraph
“David Cameron said the move would provide protection for employers facing claims over workplace accidents and help end a ‘culture of fear’ among businesses over health and safety. Insurance companies suggested the change could lead to reduced premiums for motorists by reducing the number of ‘friviolous’ damages claims arising from traffic accidents. Existing limits on legal fees in personal injury cases will now be extended to claims for up to £25,000, officials said. For the first time, caps on lawyers’ fees will also apply to claims brought against employers.”
Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
PI lawyers risk conflict claims under ABS – Law Society Gazette
“The legal profession is unprepared for conflicts of interest in personal injury law that will occur from 2012, the Gazette has been told. Such conflicts could leave PI lawyers open to negligence claims and increase professional indemnity insurance premiums.”
Law Society Gazette, 15th December 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
