Law firm not liable to loan losses, says appeal court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 3rd, 2011 in banking, damages, negligence, news, solicitors, ultra vires by sally

“A law firm that gave negligent advice to a bank before the bank lost £28m in loans advanced to two local authorities does not have to reimburse those losses, the Court of Appeal ruled last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Haugesund Kommune and another v DEPFA ACS Bank (Wikborg Rein & Co, Part 20 defendants) – WLR Daily

Posted February 1st, 2011 in banking, damages, law reports, negligence, solicitors, ultra vires by sally

Haugesund Kommune and another v DEPFA ACS Bank (Wikborg Rein & Co, Part 20 defendants) [2011] EWCA Civ 33; [2011] WLR (D) 25

“A firm of solicitors which erroneously advised a bank that municipalities would not be acting ultra vires if they entered into a swap arrangement with the bank was not liable for the losses resulting from the municipalities’ inability to make restitution once the void nature of the swap agreement came to light. Despite their negligence in relation to the vires of the municipalities, the solicitors had taken no responsibility for their creditworthiness or good faith or for the fact that the bank could not lawfully obtain execution against them when they defaulted on the arrangement.”

WLR Daily, 31st January 2011

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.

Milners lawyer Simon Morgan jailed for stealing £1.4m – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2011 in abuse of position of trust, news, sentencing, solicitors, theft by sally

“A solicitor who stole £1.4m from his firm to fund a lavish lifestyle has been jailed for seven years.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th January 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How the self-employed criminal bar intends to compete with solicitors – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 27th, 2011 in barristers, criminal justice, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

“There are probably about 5,000 self-employed barristers and 1,000 higher court advocates active in criminal defence work. While the number of firms has dwindled substantially in the last few years, the number of barristers has increased, notwithstanding the fact that the work has diminished, mainly through the Crown Prosecution Service taking 25% of it in-house.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chancery Lane hails landmark ruling on access to justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 27th, 2011 in costs, fees, news, solicitors by sally

“Solicitors must be allowed to shoulder the risk of adverse costs orders on behalf of their clients to ensure proper access to justice, the Court of Appeal ruled today.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chancery Lane warns against publication of complaints – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 6th, 2011 in complaints, law firms, minorities, news, solicitors by sally

“Reporting the names of lawyers and law firms who have been the subject of complaints by the public will disproportionately affect sole practitioners and black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers, according to the Law Society.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor jailed over bogus college scam – Home Office

Posted December 14th, 2010 in fraud, immigration, press releases, sentencing, solicitors by sally

“Three people have been sentenced to a total of eighteen and a half years for setting up bogus colleges to help illegal immigrants remain in the UK.”

Full press release

Home Office, 13th December 2010

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Gloucestershire coroner’s law practice investigated – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2010 in accounts, disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

“The Cheltenham law firm of Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore has been closed following concerns over the way it was being run.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th December 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid solicitors overpaid by £77m – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 1st, 2010 in fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“Legal aid solicitors have been overpaid by almost £77m, according to a report published today by public spending watchdog, the National Audit Office.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th November 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor jailed for £250,000 fraud – The Independent

Posted October 22nd, 2010 in client accounts, fraud, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

“A solicitor was jailed for five years today after pleading guilty to fraud offences, which benefited him to the tune of almost £250,000, police said.”

Full story

The Independent, 22nd October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitors sue police for wrongful imprisonment – The Independent

Posted October 20th, 2010 in false imprisonment, news, police, privilege, solicitors by sally

“Three solicitors were today suing police for wrongful imprisonment after falling foul of strict prison regulations.”

Full story

The Independent, 19th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal profession ‘inherently masculine’, says report for LSB – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 11th, 2010 in equality, minorities, news, solicitors, women by sally

“Stereotyping and bias are preventing women and black and minority ethnic (BME) solicitors from furthering their careers, a report funded by the Legal Services Board has found.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High volume of complaints against solicitors as LeO launches – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 7th, 2010 in complaints, legal ombudsman, news, solicitors by sally

“The new Legal Ombudsman handled nearly 500 complaints on its launch day yesterday, taking its first call two minutes after opening at 8.30am while its chief executive was appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judge blocks website’s ‘Solicitors From Hell’ comments about lawyer – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2010 in defamation, injunctions, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A second High Court judge has issued an interim injunction banning the owner of the website Solicitors From Hell from publishing or republishing defamatory material about a lawyer with a London firm.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitor wins gagging order in website case – The Independent

Posted September 23rd, 2010 in defamation, injunctions, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A solicitor who has been the subject of allegedly defamatory postings on a website called Solicitors From Hell won an interim injunction today against the man who runs the operation, ordering him to remove the allegations from the site.”

Full story

The Independent, 23rd September 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The changing relationship between solicitors and barristers – Law Society’s Gazette

“In the debate about how the legal regulators should amend practising rules to allow solicitors and barristers to operate in the new structures modelled in the Legal Services Act 2007, some predicted that the reforms could alter forever the identity of lawyers and lead to fusion – ending the distinction between law firms and chambers. That has not happened, but does slow progress to date rule out greater upheaval in future?”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors queue up to sue LSC – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 16th, 2010 in law firms, legal aid, legal services, news, solicitors, tenders by sally

“Pressure is mounting on the Legal Services Commission over its handling of the tender for civil legal aid contracts, as it faces a growing number of judicial review challenges to the process, and talks with the Law Society broke down.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Privilege judgment is an unjustified blow to in-house lawyers – The Guardian

Posted September 15th, 2010 in barristers, EC law, legal profession, news, privilege, solicitors by sally

“The European court of justice’s ruling will prevent in-house lawyers giving frank advice in antitrust cases.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New plans to test would-be lawyers – The Guardian

Posted September 14th, 2010 in examinations, Law Society, news, solicitors by sally

“The Law Society is investigating a legal aptitude test to stem the tide of solicitors entering the profession.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Solicitors under fire from bar over referral fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 9th, 2010 in fees, news, solicitors by sally

“The new Criminal Bar Association chair has criticised solicitors for ‘abusing’ the referral fee arrangements for Crown court advocacy, claiming that solicitors are pocketing money for work done by barristers.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk