UK legal sector becoming more ‘socially exclusive’ – Legal Week

Posted April 23rd, 2009 in legal profession, news by sally

“The UK legal sector has been highlighted by the Government as one of a number of professions becoming increasingly socially exclusive.”

Full story

Legal Week, 23rd April 2009

Source: www.legalweek.com

Actually, the public do trust lawyers . . . – The Times

Posted April 1st, 2009 in legal profession, news by sally

“Lawyers can draw some comfort from a survey this week showing that they are not quite the figures of mistrust or contempt that mythology would suggest.”

Full story

The Times, 31st March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Lawyer-client privilege can’t stop surveillance, says House of Lords – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 24th, 2009 in interception, investigatory powers, legal profession, news, privilege by sally

“The state is allowed to bug communication between lawyers and their clients, the House of Lords has said. The UK’s highest court ruled that spy law the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) allows lawyers’ conversations to be bugged.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 23rd March 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

McE v Prison Service of Northern Ireland; C and A v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; M v Same – WLR Daily

Posted March 13th, 2009 in investigatory powers, law reports, legal profession, privilege by sally

McE v Prison Service of Northern Ireland; C and A v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; M v Same [2009] UKHL 15; [2009] WLR(D) 90

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (‘RIPA’) permitted covert surveillance of communications between lawyers and their clients covered by legal professional privilege and notwithstanding any statutory rights of persons in custody to consult privately with their lawyers.”

WLR Daily, 12th March 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

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

McE v Prison Service of Northern Ireland and Another; C and A v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; M v Same – Times Law Reports

Posted March 12th, 2009 in investigatory powers, law reports, legal profession, privilege by sally

McE v Prison Service of Northern Ireland and Another; C and A v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; M v Same

House of Lords

“Covert surveillance of communications between lawyers and their clients, covered by legal professional privilege, was permitted under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, notwithstanding any statutory rights of persons in custody to consult their lawyers in private.”

The Times, 12th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Clive Stafford Smith: ‘If I had my time all over again, I’d defend paedophiles’ – The Times

Posted March 10th, 2009 in human rights, legal profession, news by sally

“He battled for years to save death-row convicts in the US, and now represents terror suspects. But what fires a lawyer who acts only for the poor and universally hated?”

Full story

The Times, 10th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Army victims’ lawyer ‘had death threats’ – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2009 in armed forces, intimidation, legal profession, media, news by sally

“MoD accused of waging ‘black propaganda’ campaign against human rights activists.”

Full story

The Independent, 7th February 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Will the profession finally add class to its diversity stats? – The Lawyer

Posted February 3rd, 2009 in legal profession, news by sally

“New Research commissioned for The Lawyer has exposed the extent to which the legal profession is dominated by the wealthy, just as the Government unveils a new campaign to drive elitism out of the profession.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 2nd February 2009

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Legal profession’s elitism gap gets wider – The Lawyer

Posted February 3rd, 2009 in legal profession, news by sally

“The legal profession is even more elitist than other professions – and the gap has widened in the last decade.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 2nd February 2009

Source: www.thelawyer.com

VAT – The Bar Council

Posted January 27th, 2009 in fees, legal profession, news, VAT by sally

“Letter received from the Legal Services Commission regarding VAT on Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme and Solicitor Standard Fee Claims.”

Full letter

The Bar Council, 27th January 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Fees scheme may defuse VHCC row – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 9th, 2009 in costs, fees, legal profession, news by sally

“A breakthrough in the dispute threatening to disrupt trials of very high cost criminal cases (VHCCs) could be in sight following the publication of new funding proposals.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette,  8th January 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Fusty image and poor pay put women off being judges – The Times

Posted January 8th, 2009 in judiciary, legal profession, news, women by sally

“The judiciary is losing out on some of the best talent in the legal profession because the work of a High Court judge is perceived as fusty, old-fashioned and underpaid. ”

Full story

The Times, 8th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

In re M (a Child) (Family proceedings: Immigration) and In re N (a Child) (Family proceedings: Immigration) – Times Law Report

Posted November 26th, 2008 in children, family courts, immigration, law reports, legal profession by sally

In re M (a Child) (Family proceedings: Immigration) and In re N (a Child) (Family proceedings: Immigration)

Family Division

“Practitioners in family proceedings representing a parent who was also involved in some other relevant matter such as an immigration or housing dispute or criminal case had an ongoing duty to remain au courant with those other issues.”

The Times, 26th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Judges’ report backs US-style plan that give lawyers a cut of damages – The Times

Posted November 18th, 2008 in damages, fees, legal profession by sally

“A report seen by The Times supports the adoption of US-style contingency deals in which lawyers take their fees out of damages won for clients.”

Full story

The Times, 18th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Ready for a fight in the Law’s ‘Big Bang’ – Evening Standard

Posted November 7th, 2008 in legal profession, news by sally

“As lawyers gear up for their version of the Big Bang, tensions are growing within a profession that has always prided itself on keeping calm in a crisis. The catalyst was an announcement by the Law Society last month that it was to commission a wide-ranging review of how solicitors in England and Wales should be regulated under recent legislation.”

Full story

Evening Standard, 4th November 2008

Source: www.thisislondon.co.uk

Hunt sets out his roadmap for sweeping regulatory review – Legal Week

Posted November 6th, 2008 in legal profession, news by sally

“Former Beachcroft senior partner Lord Hunt of the Wirral has unveiled more detail of how his nine-month review of the regulatory framework for the legal profession will proceed.”

Full story

Legal Week, 6th November 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Very High Cost Criminal Cases – significant progress towards a new scheme – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 27th, 2008 in costs, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, legal profession, press releases by sally

“Significant progress is being made towards a new scheme of graduated fees for lawyers in very high cost criminal (VHCC) cases, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 24th October 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Salaries for in-house lawyers defy downturn – The Times

Posted October 23rd, 2008 in legal profession, news, remuneration by sally

“Salaries for lawyers at the UK’s top companies are defying the economic downturn, according to new research, rising comfortably ahead of inflation.”

Full story

The Times, 23rd October 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Future lawyers get ‘life coaches’ to remove barriers to law – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 23rd, 2008 in legal education, legal profession, news by sally

“Budding lawyers seeking advice and support in their efforts to join the legal profession will be helped by a government initiative launched today by Justice Minister Lord Bach.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 23rd October 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Lack of work-life balance could deter talent from profession, says study – Legal Week

Posted October 14th, 2008 in flexible working, legal profession, news by sally

“Long hours and barriers to flexible working could cause a drain on the legal profession with young mothers and fathers struggling to find a balance between family and career, new research has found.”

Full story

Legal Week, 14th October 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com