LSB warns regulators over mis-selling risk with damages-based agreements – Litigation Futures

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consumer protection, costs, damages, fees, legal services, news by sally

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority, Bar Standards Board and other regulators must consider whether action is needed to ensure that damages-based agreements (DBAs) are not mis-sold to consumers, the Legal Services Board has warned.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th February 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Regina (Redcar and Cleveland Independent Providers Association and others) v Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted February 7th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, fees, judicial review, law reports, local government, news by sally

Regina (Redcar and Cleveland Independent Providers Association and others) v Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council [2013] EWHC 4 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 44

“A dispute between care providers and a local authority over the rate due for supporting the care of the elderly in care homes was amenable to judicial review.”

WLR Daily, 17th January 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Information ‘reasonably accessible’ despite hefty charge – Panopticon

Posted February 1st, 2013 in fees, freedom of information, news, statistics by sally

“In Davis v ICO and Health and Social Care Information Centre (case no. EA/2012/0175, judgment 24 January 2013) the First-Tier Tribunal applied the absolute exemption under section 21 of FOIA 2000 for information which is reasonably accessible to an applicant other than under section 1. The requested information consisted of health statistics which the public authority was willing to provide to the appellant under its publication scheme for a charge of £1,550. The appellant argued that the charge meant the information could not be considered to be reasonably accessible to a person of ordinary means.”

Full story

Panopticon, 31st January 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Why government reforms on employment law make little sense – Law Society’s Gazette

“There were some statistics that private equity pioneer Adrian Beecroft did not include in his highly controversial report on employment law published last year. The number of claims brought by employees in employment tribunals fell from 236,000 in 2009-10 to 186,000 in 2011-12. The number of claims for both sex and age discrimination has almost halved. And the median award for most types of claim remains low, at around £5,000 (two months’ average pay). Given that these figures relate to a period of acute economic turbulence, they are counterintuitive.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 28th January 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rogue bailiff menace exposed as complaints soar – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in bailiffs, complaints, debts, fees, news, professional conduct, regulations by sally

“The true scale of the problem posed by ‘lawless bailiffs’ is revealed as shocking figures show a sharp rise in complaints about their behaviour since the start of the banking crisis.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Silk cut: are QCs a luxury we can’t afford? – LegalVoice

Posted January 25th, 2013 in fees, legal aid, news, quality assurance, queen's counsel by sally

“Criminal defence silk’s earnings from legal aid came into focus this week after Justice Secretary Chris Grayling gave strong indications he is considering targeting QCs, writes Elizabeth Davidson.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 25th January 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Publication of Jackson regulations is ‘starting point’ of 1 April reforms, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 24th, 2013 in civil justice, costs, fees, legislation, news by sally

“The publication of three draft statutory instruments (SIs) that will implement part of the ‘Jackson’ reforms to civil court costs and procedures shows that the Government remains intent on a 1 April start date, an expert has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 24th January 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Ministry of Justice publishes final DBA and success fee cap regulations – Litigation Futures

Posted January 23rd, 2013 in advocacy, consultations, damages, fees, news, regulations by sally

“Signs of life from the Ministry of Justice over getting on with implementing the Jackson reforms emerged yesterday with publication of two draft statutory instruments that will come into force on 1 April.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 23rd January 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Oxford college sued over using ‘selection by wealth’ for admissions – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2013 in fees, guarantees, news, universities by sally

“An Oxford college is being sued for discriminating against poorer students applying to study for postgraduate courses. St Hugh’s, which was founded in 1886, is being taken to court for choosing applicants not just on academic merit, but also on their ability to prove they can pay tens of thousands of pounds for tuition fees and living expenses.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government plan for mesothelioma claims process draws heavy fire from claimant lawyers – Litigation Futures

Posted December 20th, 2012 in cancer, compensation, consultations, delay, fees, news by sally

“Lawyers acting on the new system for dealing with mesothelioma claims will be paid on fixed-fee basis, the government announced yesterday.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 19th December 2012

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Brown-Quinn and another v Equity Syndicate Management Ltd and another – WLR Daily

Posted December 14th, 2012 in contracts, costs, fees, insurance, law reports, remuneration, solicitors by sally

Brown-Quinn and another v Equity Syndicate Management Ltd and another: [2012] EWCA Civ 1633; [2012] WLR (D) 377

“A legal expenses insurer could seek to limit the level of costs and expenses payable under an insurance policy in respect of a solicitor’s services for which it was liable to the insured provided that the freedom to choose a lawyer guaranteed by Council Directive 87/344/EEC, as transposed into English law by regulation 6 of the Insurance Companies (Legal Expenses Insurance) Regulations 1990, was not rendered meaningless.”

WLR Daily, 12th December 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Insurers celebrate ruling on BTE non-panel rates – Litigation Futures

Posted December 14th, 2012 in costs, fees, insurance, news by sally

“Legal expenses insurers have welcomed this week’s Court of Appeal ruling about the rates they have to pay non-panel firms.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 14th December 2012

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Voluntary sector should be able to charge – LSB – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 6th, 2012 in charities, consultations, fees, law centres, legal services, news by sally

“Not-for-profit groups should be allowed to charge for provision of legal services, the Legal Services Board has said.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 6th December 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Confusion over JR clampdown – LegalVoice

“Lawyers are baffled by some parts of the government’s outline for judicial review reform, and warn that other parts could ‘endanger compliance with EU law’, writes Elizabeth Davidson.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 29th November 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

News International must pay Andy Coulson legal fees, appeals court rules – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2012 in appeals, fees, interception, media, news by sally

“Andy Coulson’s legal fees relating to criminal investigations into alleged illegal activity at the News of the World while he was editor should continue to be paid by News International, the court of appeal has ruled.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK Tour Report #11: An interview with Toby Craig, Head of Communications, The Bar Council – Charon QC

Posted November 27th, 2012 in attorney general, barristers, diversity, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“The discussion with Toby Craig covered a number of controversial issues which members of the Bar have expressed concern to me about.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 22nd November 2012

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Unclogging the courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 19th, 2012 in delay, fees, judicial review, news by sally

“The problem of costly and spurious review cases clogging up the courts will be tackled by new plans announced by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 19th November 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Judicial review ‘industry’ to be restricted, says PM – The Independent

Posted November 19th, 2012 in appeals, fees, judicial review, news, planning by sally

“The right of people to mount legal challenges to decisions taken about them by public authorities is to be restricted, David Cameron will announce today.”

Full story

The Independent, 19th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jackson ‘will fuel conflicts’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 15th, 2012 in barristers, conflict of interest, fees, news by sally

“The Jackson reforms will heighten potential conflicts of interest where barristers are dealing directly with the public, experts at the bar conference warned last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th November 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Hooper: call police over ‘corrupt’ referral fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 15th, 2012 in corruption, fees, law firms, news by sally

“A former Court of Appeal judge earlier this week called for lawyers who pay or receive ‘corrupt’ referral fees to be reported to the police. Lord Justice Hooper told the bar conference that the growth of referral fees, which ‘corruptly’ influence the choice of trial advocate, is the most pernicious consequence of the government’s ‘savage’ legal aid cuts.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th November 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk