Experts in family cases – judicial guidance – Legal Aid Handbook Blog

Posted September 16th, 2011 in expert witnesses, family courts, fees, news by tracey

“As the countdown to 3rd October continues, concern is growing among practitioners not only about their own fees but about the position regarding experts. There are very real worries that experts will simply be unwilling to work for the new prescribed rates.”

Full story

Legal Aid Handbook Blog, 16th September 2011

Source: www: http://legalaidhandbook.com

Bid to exempt Trafigura-type claims from reform fails – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 15th, 2011 in bills, civil justice, fees, human rights, legal aid, news by tracey

“Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs have rejected an amendment to legislation that would exempt claims brought by foreigners against UK multinationals from civil litigation reforms. The Public Bill Committee debated the amendment to the Legal Aid, Punishment of Offenders and Sentencing Bill, tabled by Labour MP Kate Green, yesterday.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th September 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ken Clarke criticised over restricting ‘no win, no fee’ agreements – The Guardian

Posted September 12th, 2011 in charities, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

“A coalition of high-profile, international charities has condemned the government’s legal reforms for denying overseas victims of UK multinationals any chance of justice. In a letter to the Guardian, Amnesty International, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam and others warn that if the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, succeeds in restricting ‘no win, no fee’ agreements then Trafigura-style cases could never be brought again.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government to ban referral fees in personal injury cases – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 9th, 2011 in fees, news, personal injuries by tracey

“The government has today announced that it will ban the payment of referral fees in personal injury cases. The Ministry of Justice said the current arrangements have led to high costs, encouraged a ‘compensation culture’ and led to the growth of an industry which pursues claimants for profit.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th September 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Welcomes Move to Ban Referral Fees but Calls for Further Action – The Bar Council

Posted September 9th, 2011 in barristers, fees, personal injuries, press releases by tracey

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed Government moves to ban all referral fees in personal injury cases and has called on the Government to go further.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 9th September 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

 

Minister announces referral fee ban – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 9th, 2011 in fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by tracey

“Referral fees for personal injury cases will be banned to help tackle rising insurance costs, as part of the Government’s commitment to curb compensation culture.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 9th September 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Injury claim referral fees to be banned – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2011 in fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by tracey

“The government is to ban referral fees in personal injury claims in an attempt to curb the ‘compensation culture’. It says the current system in which personal injury details are sold on by insurance companies to lawyers has led to rising insurance costs.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council publishes practising certificate fees research report – The Bar Council

Posted September 7th, 2011 in barristers, fees, news by sally

“A research report on Practising Certificate Fees, commissioned by the Bar Council and undertaken by IFF Research, has been published.”

Research Report: Practising Certificate Fees Research (PDF)

The Bar Council, 5th September 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal Aid and the Costs Review Reforms – Speech by Lord Justice Jackson

Posted September 6th, 2011 in bills, costs, fees, legal aid, personal injuries, speeches by sally

Legal Aid and the Costs Review Reforms

Speech by Lord Justice Jackson

Judiciary of England and Wales, 5th September 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Patients’ legal aid cuts will cost NHS tens of millions – The Independent

Posted August 30th, 2011 in fees, legal aid, medical treatment, negligence, news by sally

“The Government’s plans to slash the soaring legal aid bill threaten to cost the NHS millions and exclude many victims of medical negligence from justice, the National Health Service’s own lawyers have warned.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th August 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Phone hacking: Glenn Mulcaire sues News of the World publisher – The Guardian

Posted August 19th, 2011 in fees, media, news, private investigators by sally

“Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator at the centre of the News of the World phone-hacking affair, is suing the now defunct tabloid’s publisher News International in an attempt to force the company to pay his legal bills.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tuition fees are making law conversion courses less attractive – The Guardian

Posted August 19th, 2011 in fees, legal education, news, universities by sally

“Wannabe lawyers face a conundrum – they need maximum breadth of experience, but minimum university debt.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Working party established to help implement Jackson – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 18th, 2011 in civil justice, costs, fees, news by sally

“The Civil Justice Council has today announced the membership of an expert working party that will consider implementation of the Jackson (pictured) reforms of civil litigation costs.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 18th August 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Payments on Account in Publicly Funded Cases – The Bar Council

Posted August 18th, 2011 in barristers, fees, news by sally

“Following discussions between the Bar Council and the Legal Services Commission (LSC), the Bar Council has been advised that the LSC has investigated all debit notes arising during 2006 or earlier. We have been told that this involved consideration, having regard to all circumstances (including the date of the debit note and the position of counsel’s instructing solicitors), of the appropriate action in relation to individual debts to the LSC.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 17th August 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

30% rise in negligence claims against NHS – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 5th, 2011 in costs, fees, hospitals, negligence, news by sally

“Clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service have increased by almost a third over the past year, with an extra £100million paid out to victims of medical blunders.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Update on payment of Advocates’ Criminal Graduated Fee Claims – The Bar Council

Posted August 4th, 2011 in barristers, evidence, fees, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Council has continued to receive complaints from barristers regarding delays and other problems since the Legal Services Commission took over the processing and payment of Crown Court legal aid fees. On 8 June 2011, the Bar Council posted a news item on its website detailing the reasons for the delays.1 Since then, the Bar Council has made further representations to ensure that these matters are resolved.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 3rd August 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Individuals will have to pay to contest copyright infringement warnings, Government says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 4th, 2011 in appeals, copyright, fees, internet, news by sally

“Internet users who risk being blacklisted as illegal file-sharers will have to pay £20 to appeal against warning letters they receive about their behaviour, the Government has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 3rd August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Hacker’s lawyers say publisher is still liable to pay his legal fees – The Independent

Posted August 2nd, 2011 in costs, fees, interception, media, news by sally

“Rupert Murdoch’s News International may have to continue funding the legal defence for the convicted phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire, despite the company’s promise to cut off the funds that have so far allowed him not to name the News of the World executives who commissioned him.”

Full story

The Independent, 1st August 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bar Council to examine Bribery Act action on referral fees – Law Scoiety’s Gazette

Posted July 29th, 2011 in barristers, bribery, fees, news by tracey

“Bar Council leaders have condemned the Legal Services Board for refusing to ban referral fees, and will look into whether the fees break the terms of the Bribery Act.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 28th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Chairmen’s Update to Members of the Profession – July 2011 – The Bar Council

“Bar Council Chairmen’s Update to Members of the Profession – July 2011. Letter by Mr Peter Lodder QC and Mr Michael Todd QC.”

Full letter

The Bar Council, 25th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk