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

Child burial fees waived in England – BBC News

Posted April 3rd, 2018 in burials and cremation, children, fees, news by sally

‘The costs of child burials and cremations are to be waived in England to bring them in line with Wales, the prime minister has announced.’

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BBC News, 1st April 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Boxing promoter Warren loses twin challenges to CFAs – Litigation Futures

Posted March 28th, 2018 in contracts, costs, defamation, fees, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Boxing promoter Frank Warren has failed in his effort to avoid paying his solicitors under conditional fee agreements (CFAs) where he did not receive any damages or costs despite winning his case.’

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Litigation Futures, 28th March 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court throws 100% success fee model for low-value PI claims into doubt – Litigation Futures

Posted March 26th, 2018 in consent, fees, news, personal injuries by tracey

‘The High Court has thrown the industry-standard model for handling low-value personal injury claims into doubt after ruling that solicitors still need to undertake individual risk assessments before setting the success fee – rather than just applying 100% across the board.’

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Litigation Futures, 26th March 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Statement from the Chair of the Bar on AGFS – The Bar Council

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘Statement from the Chair of the Bar on AGFS.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 24th March 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Criminal barristers expecting ‘overwhelming’ support for action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Criminal barristers are expected to announce direct action this week against what they say is the latest round of government cuts to the legal aid budget. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said it will update members on Thursday on the results of a survey it sent to them asking whether they wanted to take action. CBA chair Angela Rafferty said this morning that the signs are that “there will be overwhelming support for unified action.” ’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th March 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Whiplash reforms could cost claimant lawyers £80m, government says – Legal Futures

Posted March 22nd, 2018 in bills, compensation, fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

‘The whiplash reforms could cost claimant lawyers £80m in lost fees a year, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said yesterday as it unveiled its final impact assessment (IA) of the changes contained in the Civil Liability Bill.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd March 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Big win for NHS Resolution in test cases on pre-LASPO funding switches – Litigation Futures

Posted March 19th, 2018 in appeals, fees, health, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has found for NHS Resolution (NHSR) in three test cases over the reasonableness of solicitors switching clients from legal aid to conditional fee agreements (CFAs) ahead of the introduction of LASPO.’

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Litigation Futures, 16th March 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Reminder that adjudicator’s appointment lapses if no decision – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted March 15th, 2018 in arbitration, construction industry, contracts, fees, news, remuneration by tracey

‘Some judgments seem destined to be blogged about (at least by me) and Baldwin v J Pickstock Ltd is one such judgment. It’s all about the adjudicator’s decision (or lack of), whether there was an extension of time for reaching that decision and whether the adjudicator had properly resigned and should be paid for the work he did (even though he did not reach a decision). It’s not quite Cubitt Building & Interiors v Fleetglade, but it does demonstrate how adjudicators need to be alive to banana skin tactics, even those coming from the referring party!’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 13th March 2018

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Considerations for care homes on the charging of fees after death – Family Law

Posted March 8th, 2018 in care homes, competition, consultations, elderly, fees, news by tracey

‘In the first of a regular Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) column for Family Law Claire Davis, Director of SFE, considers the issue of care homes charging fees after death.’

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Family Law, 5th March 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Advertising watchdog cracks down on ticket resale websites – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2018 in advertising, electronic commerce, fees, internet, news by sally

‘The Advertising Standards Authority has taken action against four large secondary ticketing sites over the misleading presentation of pricing information on their websites.’

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The Guardian, 7th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

BSB agrees approach to improve transparency for clients of the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 26th, 2018 in advertising, barristers, consumer protection, fees, legal services, press releases by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has set out a revised approach to improve transparency standards for clients of the Bar. This responds to the recent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) market study of legal services and takes full account of responses to a recent BSB consultation.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council responds to new AGFS announcement – The Bar Council

Posted February 26th, 2018 in barristers, fees, press releases by tracey

‘Responding to today’s announcement of a new Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) the Chair of the Bar, Andrew Walker QC, said: “For years, our system of criminal justice has suffered from a remorseless succession of cuts in funding, and wholly inadequate investment. This has included huge cuts in the fixed fees payable to those defence barristers who carry out publicly-funded work in the Crown Court under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS); cuts that, proportionately, have far exceeded those imposed on public service providers in any other sector. These are the very same barristers who are working tirelessly under an ever-increasing workload for those very same fees. Without their commitment, and their continued goodwill, the system would simply cease to function.” ‘

Full press release

The Bar Council, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB to proceed with ‘narrower’ transparency requirements – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in advertising, barristers, fees, news by tracey

‘The barristers’ regulator has reined in proposals to require barristers who specialise in contentious areas to publish their prices, opting instead to focus primarily on those undertaking public access work.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court of Appeal: broadly-worded settlement clause precluded later claim for negligence – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 14th, 2018 in contracts, fees, interpretation, negligence, news, solicitors by michael

“A broadly-worded settlement clause between a London law firm which sued its former client for unpaid fees was sufficient to prevent a later claim for negligence, the Court of Appeal has confirmed.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th February 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

“Regretful” Court of Appeal rejects media firm’s bid to recover huge costs bill – Litigation Futures

Posted February 9th, 2018 in costs, fees, injunctions, legal services, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has upheld a decision that a leading media law firm could not recover hundreds of thousands of pounds in costs because its conditional fee agreement (CFA) did not cover much of the work it undertook.’

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Litigation Futures, 8th February 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

CoA rules £70m negligence claim blocked by settlement agreement – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 9th, 2018 in contracts, fees, interpretation, negligence, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled that a firm cannot be sued for negligence after parties had signed a covenant as part of a settlement agreement.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 9th February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rebuke for law firm that paid £215,000 for referrals from unauthorised CMC – Legal Futures

Posted January 31st, 2018 in claims management, fees, law firms, news, personal injuries by sally

‘A north-west law firm has been rebuked after paying more than £200,000 to an unauthorised claims management company for personal injury (PI) referrals.’

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Legal Futures, 31st January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Only solicitors can determine what is a bill’ – High Court throws out challenge – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 24th, 2018 in costs, documents, fees, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The High Court has told a law firm’s former client that she was not entitled to treat a document included in a general file as a costs bill. The decision in the Sheffield District Registry of the High Court will be welcomed by firms seeking reassurance about the nature of costs bills and when they are to be considered as delivered.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th January 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ministry of Justice pays out nearly £2m in first two months of employment tribunal fee refund scheme – Litigation Futures

Posted January 22nd, 2018 in employment tribunals, fees, news, repayment by sally

‘The government repaid £1.8m to employment tribunal claimants in the first two months of the scheme set up in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling tribunal fees unlawful, it has revealed.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th January 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com