We got it wrong: MoJ admits overcharging for court fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 5th, 2018 in courts, fees, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice has admitted overcharging for a string of different court fees – with the lost income from reducing the fees set to cost around £9m a year. The announcement follows the Gazette’s revelation that some personal injury claimants had been overcharged by more than £100 for starting proceedings in the High Court and County Court since 2016.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 4th July 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors are now “dairy farmers” of PI market as numbers fall – Legal Futures

‘The number of law firms specialising in personal injury (PI) work has fallen by 10% over the past two years, it has been revealed, with one leading practitioner describing solicitors now as the “dairy farmers” of the market due to their declining influence.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd July 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Poorly drafted” CFA that named wrong defendant still valid, Court of Appeal rules – Litigation Futures

Posted June 20th, 2018 in contracts, drafting, fees, interpretation, news by sally

‘A conditional fee agreement (CFA) that named the wrong defendant was still valid when read in the wider context of the claim, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 20th June 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

52:48 again – criminal barristers vote to accept government legal aid deal – Legal Futures

Posted June 13th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by sally

‘The criminal Bar has narrowly voted to accept the government’s offer of £15m additional funding for the advocates’ graduated fee scheme, a result described as “neither a defeat nor a victory”.’

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Legal Futures, 12th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council chair says he would vote for government’s criminal legal aid deal – Legal Futures

Posted June 8th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by sally

‘The chairman of the Bar Council said yesterday that he would support the £15m deal being offered by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to end the action over criminal legal aid fees, as barristers began voting on whether to accept it.’

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Legal Futures, 8th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor who attributed false legal aid claims to depression struck off – Legal Futures

Posted June 4th, 2018 in disciplinary procedures, fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘A criminal defence solicitor has been struck off for dishonestly claiming £7,000 from the legal aid fund and falsifying documents to cover up his mistakes in double-booking advocates – at a time when he said he was suffering from severe depression which led him to drink and take un-prescribed drugs.’

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Capita faces legal action after hitting graduates with bills for thousands when they try to leave – The Independent

Posted June 4th, 2018 in contracting out, fees, news, penalties by sally

‘Naive or desperate graduates subjected to ‘desperate unfairness’ under ‘astonishingly asymmetric’ contract, says barrister leading case.’

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The Independent, 2nd June 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Private hire vehicle operators lose High Court battle over TfL fee changes – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 31st, 2018 in consultations, fees, licensing, London, news, taxis, transport by sally

‘A High Court judge has rejected a legal challenge brought by private hire vehicle operators over changes introduced by Transport for London to its licensing fees structure.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st May 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Forthcoming law (and informed consent) – Nearly Legal

Posted May 29th, 2018 in bills, estate agents, fees, housing, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘The Tenant Fees Bill has had its second reading. The current Bill and its progress are here. There is a lot to digest in the Bill and I suspect there will be amendments on route. There are a whole new range of civil penalties, possible offences and restrictions on service of a section 21 forthcoming.’

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Nearly Legal, 28th May 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Gauke: criminal bar’s action to disrupt the courts is unacceptable – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 24th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by tracey

‘A dispute between the government and the criminal bar over legal aid fees shows no signs of being resolved soon, after the lord chancellor said he was disappointed by the action being taken by advocates and declaring that any disruption to the courts is “unacceptable”‘.

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government defeats bid to annul legal aid reform as MPs call for more support for criminal Bar – Legal Futures

Posted May 9th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, diversity, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘The government yesterday defeated a Labour attempt to annul the legislation changing the scheme through which criminal defence advocates are paid for carrying out publicly funded work in the Crown Court, which has led to over 100 chambers declining instructions.’

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Legal Futures, 9th May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Care homes firm Sunrise to refund ‘up-front fees’ to residents – BBC News

Posted May 9th, 2018 in care homes, compensation, fees, news by tracey

‘Care homes operator Sunrise Senior Living will pay more than £2m in compensation to residents after charging them thousands of pounds in compulsory “up-front fees”. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) secured the deal for most people who had paid since 1 October 2015.’

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BBC News, 9th May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Nothing to lose’: Bar ponders no returns policy to escalate protest – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 4th, 2018 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Criminal barristers are close to stepping up their action against legal aid cuts by implementing a ‘no returns’ policy in addition to refusing to taking on new work. The Gazette understands the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) is actively considering encouraging members to implement the policy.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 3rd May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Afghan interpreters’ UK immigration fee waived – BBC News

Posted May 4th, 2018 in Afghanistan, armed forces, fees, immigration, interpreters, news by tracey

‘Afghan interpreters who served with British troops fighting against the Taliban will be able to stay in the UK for free, the home secretary has said. More than 150 Afghans given five-year residency permits said they faced being sent back to Afghanistan when they expire, unless they paid £2,389 to apply for indefinite leave to remain. Sajid Javid said the fees have been waived.’

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BBC News, 8th May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoJ “considering wider impact” of employment tribunal fees ruling as it ramps up refund efforts – Litigation Futures

Posted May 3rd, 2018 in courts, employment tribunals, fees, judgments, news, repayment by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is taking legal advice on the wider implications of last year’s Supreme Court ruling that the introduction of employment tribunal fees was unlawful, it has emerged.’

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Litigation Futures, 3rd May 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal aid strike: Solicitors “should help clients represent themselves” if they can’t find barrister, says SRA – Legal Futures

‘Criminal law solicitors unable to find a barrister because of their protest over legal aid fees “may need to assist the client to represent themselves as best they can” if the court will not grant an adjournment, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 26th April 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SDT criticises solicitor for “misleading” evidence on husband’s £80,000 investment in firm – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has strongly criticised a solicitor who gave “misleading” evidence on her husband’s £80,000 investment in a personal injury firm, which it said encouraged her to pay banned referral fees.’

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Legal Futures, 26th April 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Insurer must compensate solicitor whose clients it induced to settle – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 23rd, 2018 in compensation, costs, fees, insurance, news, personal injuries, solicitors by tracey

‘An insurer which offered to settle directly with personal injury claimants who had filed notices of their claims on the Road Traffic Accidents Portal (RTA Portal) must compensate the claimants’ solicitors, who would otherwise have been entitled to costs by virtue of a conditional fee agreement (CFA).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 20th April 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Riaz v Ashwood – 4 New Square

Posted April 13th, 2018 in costs, damages, fees, news, solicitors by sally

‘Master James has noted that courts are receiving a large and increasing number of these types of claims; the increase was attributed to a new business model by which new lawyers seek to challenge the deduction by previous solicitors from their client’s damages of a success fee under a post-LASPO CFA.’

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4 New Square, 28th March 2018

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Barristers’ strike over cuts to justice system delays case – BBC News

Posted April 5th, 2018 in barristers, delay, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘A murder case at the Old Bailey has become one of the first to be affected by a strike by barristers.’

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BBC News, 4th April 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk