‘Culture change’ needed to embrace fee-charging McKenzie friends – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Fee-charging McKenzie friends increase access to justice and make up a “legitimate feature of the modern legal market”, according to a report published today by watchdog the Legal Services Consumer Panel. The president of the Law Society described the panel’s findings as “worrying”.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th April 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Claimant groups: 85% of injured workers not compensated – Law Society’s Gazette

‘More than 85% of people injured or made ill at work do not recover any compensation, a new report has stated.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 16th April 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Disrepair: La luta continua! – NearlyLegal

Posted April 14th, 2014 in children, costs, damages, fees, landlord & tenant, legal aid, news, rent, repairs by sally

‘2013 was a difficult year for claimant disrepair. Changes in legal aid funding have made it all but impossible to pursue a disrepair claim under legal aid alone, as funding is only available for an order to carry out repairs to where there is serious risk to health or well being of the tenant or other occupiers, and not for further repairs or the damages claim (although full funding remains for a counterclaim to a possession claim, which can be brought after the possession order).’

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NearlyLegal, 13th April 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Changes to UK laws aim to further curb number of cases going to employment tribunal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 8th, 2014 in arbitration, dispute resolution, employment tribunals, fees, news by sally

‘Employees with a grievance against their employers will have to consider participation in a dispute resolution scheme run by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) before they can lodge a claim before an employment tribunal under changes to UK law that have come into force.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th April 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Government confirms court fees increase within weeks – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 3rd, 2014 in civil justice, consultations, courts, fees, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice has confirmed it will go ahead with a series of changes to court fees from 22 April.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd April 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Domestic violence victims helped as injunction fees are scrapped – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 2nd, 2014 in civil justice, consultations, domestic violence, fees, injunctions, news by sally

‘Vulnerable domestic abuse victims will be helped by the scrapping of fees for domestic violence injunctions, Courts Minister Shailesh Vara has announced.’

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Ministry of Justice, 1st April 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Legal aid cuts: six lawyers on why they will damage our justice system – The Guardian

‘Why have lawyers taken to the streets to protest against legal aid cuts? Self-interest or because they care about the havoc they see being wrought on our legal system?’

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The Guardian, 1st April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Patel and another v Peters and others – WLR Daily

Patel and another v Peters and others [2014] EWCA Civ 335; [2014] WLR (D) 147

‘Where the surveyor of a party involved in a dispute over building works affecting adjoining properties served a request under section 10(7) of the Party Wall etc Act 1996 on the surveyor of the other party that he act effectively in respect of the subject matter referred to in the request within ten days, after which, if he did not so act, the requesting surveyor became entitled to act ex parte in respect of the matter, a continuing state of affairs was created so that the other party’s surveyor might still act effectively after that ten-day period, thereby precluding the requesting surveyor from acting ex parte, provided that the requesting surveyor had not yet proceeded so to act.’

WLR Daily, 27th March 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

More chambers criticise legal aid deal as BSB consults on returning instructions – Legal Futures

Posted March 31st, 2014 in barristers, budgets, consultations, fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘More chambers have come out in open criticism of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) and Bar Council’s deal with the government over legal aid last week.’

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Legal Futures, 31st March 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers call off walkout after legal aid cuts suspended – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2014 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘Criminal barristers have called off their industrial action over legal aid payments after reaching a deal with the Ministry of Justice to suspend cuts until after the next general election.’

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The Guardian, 27th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Blankley v Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust – WLR Daily

Blankley v Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust [2014] EWHC 168 (QB); [2014] WLR (D) 141

‘The termination of a solicitor’s actual authority by reason of a client’s supervening mental incapacity did not, it itself, automatically frustrate the underlying contract of retainer.’

WLR Daily, 5th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

TV licence fee evasion could be decriminalised – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2014 in bills, criminal justice, fees, licensing, media, news, prosecutions, statistics by sally

‘The government is to launch a formal review of the law that makes it a crime not to pay the TV licence, following a campaign led by backbench Conservative MPs.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Spiralling out of control: can Jackson reforms reign in family fees? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 20th, 2014 in civil procedure rules, costs, divorce, family courts, fees, news by tracey

‘Despite the strictures of the Family Proceedings Rules and subsequent practice directions, disproportionate costs still seem to arise on an all too common basis.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 19th March 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

UK Statistics Authority takes MoJ to task over “misleading” barrister earnings figures – Legal Futures

Posted March 18th, 2014 in barristers, codes of practice, fees, government departments, news, statistics by tracey

‘Government statements that criminal barristers earn an average of £84,000 from legal aid were misleading, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) has suggested.’

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Legal Futures, 18th March 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Your Response Ltd v Datateam Business Media Ltd – WLR Daily

Posted March 18th, 2014 in appeals, computer programs, data protection, fees, law reports, publishing by tracey

Your Response Ltd v Datateam Business Media Ltd: [2014] EWCA Civ 281;   [2014] WLR (D)  131

‘The exercise of a common law lien was not available over an electronic database as the electronic database was not property susceptible of possession which was capable of being subject to larceny or conversion or being taken in execution.’

WLR Daily, 14th March 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

OFT: ‘significant gaps’ in university prospectuses – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 14th, 2014 in advertising, consumer protection, fees, news, universities by tracey

‘The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) warns that universities are failing to supply students with enough information before they apply, but finds no evidence of ‘fee fixing’ between institutions.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Update for the profession from the Chairman of the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted March 13th, 2014 in barristers, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Access to justice and the quality of our justice system are currently under threat on several fronts. As we face a number of challenges, I never fail to be impressed by the sense of unity across the profession, who are determined speak out for what we believe in. I for one have no intention to deviate from that course.’

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The Bar Council, 12th March 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Child Support – What Is Going On? – Family Law Week

Posted March 13th, 2014 in child support, fees, government departments, news by tracey

‘Jody Atkinson TEP, barrister at St John’s Chambers, Bristol, considers the ongoing changes to the Child Support Act system.’

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Family Law Week, 12th March 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Grayling rules out privatised courts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 12th, 2014 in contracting out, costs, courts, fees, news, probation by tracey

‘Privatising the courts service is not on the government’s agenda, Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, told a free-market thinktank today.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 11th March 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

G4S may still face criminal proceedings over tagging scandal – justice secretary – The Guardian

‘G4S, the troubled giant private security company, still faces the possibility of criminal proceedings over its alleged overcharging of at least £24m on electronic tagging and prisoner escort contracts, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has said. His reminder comes as G4S makes a concerted attempt to have the current ban on bidding for fresh government contracts lifted.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk