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 sally

‘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 sally

‘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 sally

‘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

Legal fees investigation reveals huge disparities between law firms – The Guardian

Posted April 5th, 2016 in fees, law firms, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘An investigation into lawyers’ fees has found major disparities between firms, with the cheapest charging £250 for conveyancing and the most expensive £3,200 for precisely the same freehold sale.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Settlement agreement over unpaid fees protects law firm against £70m negligence claim – Litigation Futures

Posted March 30th, 2016 in codes of practice, damages, fees, law firms, negligence, news, solicitors by sally

‘A settlement agreement provides a central London law firm with a “complete defence” against a £70m professional negligence claim brought on behalf of a Russian oil company, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 30th March 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Government spends £100,000 on lawyers to defend the bedroom tax – The Independent

Posted March 29th, 2016 in appeals, benefits, disabled persons, fees, housing, news, social security by sally

‘The Department for Work and Pensions has spent over £100,000 on lawyers fighting a court battle to save its controversial “bedroom tax” policy.’

Full story

The Independent, 28th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Stevensdrake v Hunt and the indemnity principle – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted March 22nd, 2016 in agreements, costs, fees, indemnities, law firms, news by sally

‘Having successfully obtained judgment for your client in a case where your firm of solicitors is acting under a conditional fee agreement (CFA), it is only natural that thoughts will turn to the firm’s own impending financial reward. But the terms of a CFA, negotiated at the outset of the case, can prove to be a barrier to their underlying commercial purpose: payment by result.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 17th March 2016

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Legal expenses insurance tax hike is yet another barrier to justice – The Bar Council

Posted March 21st, 2016 in barristers, budgets, costs, expenses, fees, insurance, press releases, taxation by sally

‘The Bar Council has warned that the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget announcement that the Insurance Premium Tax will go up yet again is another barrier for hardworking individuals and families seeking justice.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th March 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Price of getting divorced to soar by a third – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2016 in divorce, fees, news by sally

‘The price of getting divorced will soar by 34% from Monday as the Ministry of Justice raises its fees to pay for the overall cost of administering justice. The increase, from £410 to £550, is unlikely to deter many of those determined to separate, but it has provoked anger among family lawyers who say the amount is far higher than the actual cost of the legal procedure.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Daily Mail loses challenge to recoverable ATE – but success fee uncertainty heads to Supreme Court – Litigation Futures

Posted March 17th, 2016 in appeals, costs, fees, freedom of expression, insurance, media, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Recoverable after-the-event insurance (ATE) premiums are not incompatible with a publisher’s right to freedom of expression, the High Court has ruled – but it is asking the Supreme Court to resolve the case law tension over recoverable success fees in publications proceedings.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th March 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com