» Solicitors welcome ruling on asylum deportations
30/07/10 16:32 from News | Law Gazette
The Law Society has welcomed the High Court’s ruling that the fast-track deportation of foreign nationals, which did not allow enough time for them to seek legal advice, is unlawful. In January 2010, the Home Office widened its policy of w..
» Solicitors ‘delaying’ conveyances due to staff shortages
30/07/10 13:35 from News | Law Gazette
Staff shortages at conveyancing firms are slowing down property transactions, according to a prominent estate agent and former anti-home information pack campaigner. Nick Salmon, commercial director of independent estate agents Harrison Mu..
» Trafigura conviction
30/07/10 01:00 from New Law Journal Latest News
A Dutch court has found multinational, Trafigura, guilty of delivering hazardous waste to Amsterdam while concealing the true nature of the load, and of exporting it to the Ivory Coast. More than 100,000 people sought medical attenti..
» Jackson-style CFAs plan
30/07/10 00:10 from New Law Journal Latest News
Extensive plans to reform conditional fee agreements (CFAs) will be announced by the Ministry of Justice in the autumn with a view to making “significant cost savings”. Announcing the consultation in Parliament this week, justi..
» Employment lawyers’ wish list
30/07/10 00:00 from New Law Journal Latest News
Employment lawyers have called for radical reform of the tribunal system as it struggles to cope with record levels of claims. Grass-roots research by the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) highlights areas of concern and proposes ..
» CJC funding move
29/07/10 23:55 from New Law Journal Latest News
Its consultation paper, published last week, A Self-Regulatory Code for Third Party Funding, takes account of Jackson LJ’s recommendations, which were included in his review of civil litigation costs. Jackson LJ recommended a volunta..
» An exodus of associates?
29/07/10 23:40 from New Law Journal Latest News
Nearly a quarter (24%) of associates plan to leave the legal profession in the next year, with one in ten citing personality or management issues as the reason, according to the Future Lawyers study by recruitment firm Badenoch & Clark. As..
» Judges set management benchmark
29/07/10 23:35 from New Law Journal Latest News
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) added the requirement this month. Applicants will be asked to show they have skills such as the ability to form strategic objectives, motivate others, encourage the professional development of per..
» Judging the judges
29/07/10 23:25 from New Law Journal Latest News
The number of complaints against judges is rising. A total of 1,571 complaints were made against judicial holders in the year up to end of March 2010, compared to 1,339 in the previous year, according to the Office for Judicial Complaints&..
» Law firms entitled to set compulsory retirement age
29/07/10 16:55 from News | Law Gazette
A former law firm partner who accused his firm of acting unlawfully by making him retire at 65 has lost his age discrimination case in the Court of Appeal. Leslie Seldon, now 69, a former civil litigation partner at Kent law firm Clarkson ..
» Solicitorsfromhell owner in second High Court libel action
28/07/10 16:06 from News | Law Gazette
The owner of website solicitorsfromhell.co.uk is facing a second High Court libel action, the Gazette has learned. The news comes as it emerged that website owner Rick Kordowski has been invited by the BBC to assist with an investigation i..
» Personal injury lawyers issue warning over CFA reform
28/07/10 16:00 from News | Law Gazette
Personal injury lawyers warned that the government was taking ‘a step backwards’ this week as it announced that it will consult on Lord Justice Jackson’s plans for reform of the way lawyers are paid in civil cases. Justice minister Jonatha..
» Lord chief justice defends trial by jury
28/07/10 15:43 from News | Law Gazette
The lord chief justice emphasised the importance of trial by jury last week as the Court of Appeal overturned two High Court decisions that trials could proceed without a jury. Sir Igor Judge said that judge-alone trials should only procee..
» Family law supplier base ‘decimated’ by LSC tender
28/07/10 15:37 from News | Law Gazette
The family law supplier base has been ‘decimated’ by the ‘shock’ outcome of the Legal Services Commission’s tender for civil legal aid work, lawyers groups alleged this week. The Law Society and Legal Aid Practitioners Group said member fe..
» Coal miners pursue law firms over ‘undersettled’ compensation
28/07/10 15:33 from News | Law Gazette
The first known court actions against law firms for alleged undersettlement of sick coal miners’ government compensation claims will begin preliminary hearings in mid-August, the Gazette has learned. A number of defendant firms have alread..
» New PII market entrant
28/07/10 15:15 from News | Law Gazette
A new insurer has entered the solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance (PII) market focusing on firms of up to five partners, the Law Society disclosed last week . read more
» Halliwells administrator’s cash management warning
28/07/10 14:47 from News | Law Gazette
Professional firms must pay ‘far greater attention to cash management’ following the break-up of north-west firm Halliwells, the firm’s administrator warned last week. A deal to sell Halliwells’ Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield operatio..
» Green light for Jackson?
26/07/10 18:35 from New Law Journal Latest News
Justice minister Jonathan Djanogly said that the reform of conditional fee agreements (CFAs) ‘should lead to significant costs savings, while still enabling those who need access to justice to obtain it’. He said that Jac..
» CJC moves on third party litigation funding
26/07/10 12:00 from New Law Journal Latest News
The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has launched revised proposals for regulating third party litigation funding. Its consultation paper, published last week, A Self-Regulatory code for Third Party Funding , takes account of Lord Justice ..
» Case dismissed on boy’s time out of school
22/07/10 23:30 from New Law Journal Latest News
A severely disabled boy who was taken out of school for 18 months cannot sue his local authority for breaching his human rights, the Supreme Court has ruled in a landmark judgment. read more