Watchdog to ban penalties for savers accessing pensions – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 26th, 2016 in fees, financial regulation, news, penalties, pensions by tracey

Penal charges applying to people who want to access their retirement savings are to be banned by the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers unhappy with BSB warning on commercial pressures – Legal Futures

‘Barristers have complained that the decision of their regulator to make public the risk of commercial pressures damaging the Bar could on its own have a negative impact on the profession’s reputation.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB echoes Bar Council concerns on equality and access to justice – The Bar Council

‘The Chairman of the Bar Council, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC has signalled agreement with the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) concern for equality and diversity in the profession. As the independent regulator reported in its recently published Risk Outlook yesterday, the Bar Council also welcomed the focus on access to justice and on ensuring that consumers’ needs are properly met following the prolonged period of cuts to our system of justice.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th May 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

CFA could be assigned after firm went bust, circuit judge rules – Litigation Futures

Posted May 12th, 2016 in agreements, fees, insolvency, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘An insolvent firm of solicitors could validly assign conditional fee agreements (CFAs) to another law firm, a circuit judge has ruled in a much-anticipated case that is expected to end up in the Court of Appeal.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 12th May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court: no “windfall” in allowing barrister to claim fast-track trial advocacy fee – Litigation Futures

‘Allowing a claimant’s barrister to recover a trial advocacy fee in a fast-track personal injury case, settled on the morning of the hearing, “hardly amounts to a windfall”, a High Court judge has said.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Time to challenge appeal begins at date of award, says High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in appeals, arbitration, delay, fees, news, time limits by tracey

‘The time allowed to challenge an arbitration award begins on the date that the award is made, and not when the parties receive it, the High Court in England has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 29th April 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Asylum court fee hike makes access to justice a “luxury” for the few – The Bar Council

Posted April 28th, 2016 in asylum, barristers, civil justice, fees, immigration, press releases, tribunals by tracey

‘Plans put forward by the Ministry of Justice yesterday to increase fees for those seeking justice through the Immigration and Asylum tribunal system by 500% is yet another step towards putting access to justice beyond the means of those who most need it, warns the Bar Council.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 28th April 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

The Brave New World of Electronic Filing at the Central Family Court – Family Law Week

‘Michael Allum, Solicitor with The International Family Law Group LLP, explains how the Central Family Court’s pilot scheme for electronic filing of documents will work.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd April 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Asylum and immigration court fees set to rise by over 500% – The Guardian

‘Asylum and immigration tribunal fees are set to increase by more than 500% in order to help pay off the Ministry of Justice’s funding deficit.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CA: judge wrong to move hire costs dispute from RTA process to small claims court – Litigation Futures

Posted April 25th, 2016 in appeals, costs, damages, fees, insurance, news, road traffic, small claims by sally

‘A district judge was wrong to move a dispute over hire car costs from stage 3 of the RTA protocol to the small claims court, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 22nd April 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal aid cuts have led to surge in DIY defence, says charity – The Guardian

‘Miscarriages of justice and long delays in the criminal justice system are becoming more common because a growing number of people are having to represent themselves in court, legal experts have warned.’
Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government plan for 500% increase in immigration and asylum fee sparks anger – The Independent

Posted April 22nd, 2016 in appeals, fees, immigration, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice has revealed plans to increase the cost for immigrants to appeal against Home Office decisions by up to 500 per cent.’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Battle over success fees in privacy cases heads for Supreme Court – Litigation Futures

Posted April 21st, 2016 in appeals, fees, human rights, news, privacy, Supreme Court by tracey

‘The question of whether recoverable success fees in privacy cases are incompatible with publishers’ rights to freedom of expression is set to go before the Supreme Court, following a High Court ruling.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 21st April 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lower-than-expected court fee income contributes to Ministry of Justice funding black hole – Legal Futures

Posted April 20th, 2016 in budgets, courts, fees, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘Lower-than-expected court fees from high-value cases and increased demand in the criminal justice system are behind the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) request for £427m extra funding over and above its designated department spending limit for 2015-16, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th April 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

London firm in the money after High Court upholds validity of contingency fee agreement – Litigation Futures

Posted April 15th, 2016 in compensation, fees, law firms, news by tracey

‘The High Court has upheld a contingency fee agreement under which a well-known London law firm received half of the compensation recovered – which amounted to over £400,000, eight times what it would have billed on an hourly basis.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 13th April 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Raising funds to modernise the Probate Service – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted April 14th, 2016 in consultations, fees, internet, news, probate by sally

‘A banded approach to probate fees has been proposed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Views are sought on proposals to impose fees of between £300 and £20,000, depending on the value of the estate. The value of an estate below which no fee is payable would rise from £5,000 to £50,000. The consultation is open until 1 April 2016.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 29th March 2016

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Judges’ reforms threaten the role of lay legal advisers – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2016 in fees, legal representation, litigants in person, McKenzie friends, news by sally

‘Following legal aid cuts, plans to bar McKenzie Friends from charging fees will put help beyond financial reach for many.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Future of Employment Tribunals: A Need for Change? – Littleton Chambers

‘Dodge the tumbleweed blowing down the corridors, enter any Employment Tribunal (ET) waiting room and you will almost certainly see at least one employment lawyer sitting, staring at the dregs in their polystyrene cup looking to see whether the tealeaves will reveal if and when ET litigation will rise again, or whether the end of the ET system is nigh.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 24th March 2016

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Public access barristers join forces with debt solutions business to offer fixed-fee representation – Legal Futures

‘A group of public access barristers have formed a partnership with a debt solutions company to provide debtors with fixed-fee court representation that they could otherwise not afford.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 12th April 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update, April 2016 – Family Law Week

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during March 2016.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 8th April 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk