Criminal bar chief: unity can help resist ‘extinction’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 13th, 2012 in barristers, fees, legal profession, news, solicitors by tracey

“Criminal solicitors and barristers should stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ to oppose further fee cuts or risk ‘virtual extinction’ within five years, the new chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has warned.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Media Protection Services Ltd v Crawford and another – WLR Daily

Posted August 24th, 2012 in company directors, copyright, informations, law reports, magistrates, solicitors by sally

Media Protection Services Ltd v Crawford and another [2012] EWHC 2373 (Admin); [2012] WLR (D) 250

“The laying of an information by a director of a private limited company, acting for reward on behalf of a client in the course of its business, constituted acting as a solicitor within the meaning and in breach of section 20 of the Solicitors Act 1974 and carrying on a reserved legal activity, namely the conduct of litigation, contrary to the Legal Services Act 2007, with the result that the proceedings were void.”

WLR Daily, 16th August 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

New Terms of Engagement for barristers – The Bar Council

Posted August 6th, 2012 in barristers, complaints, contracts, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

“On the 27 July, the Legal Services Board consented to a change in the Cab Rank Rule of the Bar Code of Conduct to replace the current Terms of Work with new standard contractual terms. The practical effect of the changes are detailed below.”

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The Bar Council, 2nd August 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

‘Tesco law’ approvals hit double figures as big-name applicants face delay frustration – Legal Week

“The number of alternative business structures (ABS) approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) reached double figures last week, as a group of high-profile applicants continue to wait for their licence confirmation.”

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Legal Week, 3rd August 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Personal injury referral-fee ban may not work, warns Solicitors Regulation Authority – Daily Telegraph

“A ban on the referral fees blamed for creating a ‘compensation culture’ will be difficult to police and may not even be effective, regulators have warned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 29th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Third Party Costs Orders against Solicitors – 4 New Square

Posted July 27th, 2012 in costs, fees, news, solicitors, third parties by sally

“This article discusses the rise in applications against solicitors for third party costs orders, where solicitors have acted on conditional fee agreements and may be said to have funded or controlled litigation.”

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4 New Square, 25th July 2012

Source: www.4newsquare.com

‘Baby barrister’ threat to solicitors – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 26th, 2012 in barristers, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“Barristers with under three years’ practising experience will be able to take instructions directly from clients if the Bar Standards Board’s latest plan for the extension of public access rules is approved.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 26th July 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors warned of divorce claims – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 26th, 2012 in compensation, divorce, news, pensions, solicitors by sally

“Divorce solicitors could face thousands of compensation claims in cases where pensions were undervalued in a divorce settlement, a pensions consultant has claimed.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 26th July 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High Court criticises Mr Loophole for ‘sharp practice’ in speeding case – The Independent

Posted July 23rd, 2012 in courts, news, road traffic offences, solicitors by tracey

” The man known as Mr Loophole – one of the country’s highest-profile lawyers – has been condemned for ‘sharp practice’ by the High Court.”

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The Independent, 21st July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bar-solicitor divisions ‘music to government’s ears’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 10th, 2012 in barristers, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“Two leading criminal lawyers have called for solicitors and barristers to stop arguing among themselves and unite, to promote their clients’ interests and the justice system.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th July 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers decry government plans for ‘flexible courts’ to speed up justice – The Guardian

“Plans to overhaul the court system to hold evening and weekend hearings, first introduced at the height of last summer’s riots and now being deployed for the Olympics, have met strong opposition from lawyers being forced to work longer hours.”

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The Guardian, 9th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The best lawyers are not law graduates, claims judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 9th, 2012 in barristers, legal education, news, solicitors by sally

“The best lawyers do not read law as undergraduates, one of Britain’s most senior judges has said, as he claims a generation of barristers and solicitors have nothing in the way of ‘general culture’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar Standards Board seeks views on Bar Transfer Test – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 25th, 2012 in barristers, consultations, legal education, news, solicitors by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has issued a consultation reviewing the Bar Transfer Test (BTT).”

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Bar Standards Board, 22nd June 2012

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Shifting the burden: support for stress – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 21st, 2012 in law firms, legal profession, mental health, news, solicitors by sally

“The suicide last year of a senior local authority solicitor who felt unable to cope with the demands placed on him following a 30% cut to his department’s budget shocked the profession.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 21st June 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

QASA – and what it means to you – LegalVoice

“New rules for solicitors (and registered European lawyers) who want to undertake criminal advocacy form January 2013 will require them to notify the Solicitors Regulation Authority under the new Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (Crime) arrangements, writes Anne-Marie Lynch. The scheme opens on July 2nd 2012 and will be open for notifications until 21st September 2012. It will introduce a system for accreditation for criminal advocacy work in the Crown and magistrates’ courts.”

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LegalVoice, 20th June 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Law Society responds to training review – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 1st, 2012 in legal education, news, solicitors by tracey

“Bottlenecks in the legal training system are inevitable so long as there are more aspiring entrants to the profession than the market can employ, the Law Society points out in its first formal response to the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR). ”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 31st May 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor accused of playing golf while charging £300 an hour wins libel damages – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 31st, 2012 in defamation, news, solicitors by tracey

“A solicitor wrongly accused by a millionaire client of charging him £300 an hour for legal work whilst playing golf has won an apology and substantial damages after succeeding in his libel action.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

General training ‘failing’, consumer watchdog tells review – Law Society’s Gazette

“Regular re-accreditation and an end to the ‘general practitioner model’ of training are among the reforms called for by the Legal Services Consumer Panel in its submission to the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 21st May 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Plan to cut spending on court interpreters leads to farce – The Independent

Posted May 21st, 2012 in auditors, budgets, courts, interpreters, news, solicitors by sally

“A defendant dubbed a ‘pervert’ by mistake, a rabbit applying to be a Czech language specialist and solicitors using the Google Translate website to understand their clients: the debacle surrounding court interpreters has had its amusing moments.”

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The Independent, 21st May 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Association of Costs Lawyers’ Annual Conference 2012 – Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Posted May 14th, 2012 in costs, fees, judges, solicitors, speeches by sally

Association of Costs Lawyers’ Annual Conference 2012 (PDF)

Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Judiciary of England and Wales, 11th May 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk