MoJ admits drafting error in fee-capping regulations – Law Society’s Gazette

“Acquitted defendants can claim the full cost of private legal fees, after the Ministry of Justice admitted there is a drafting error in the regulations intended to implement its controversial policy to cap awards.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd June 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Guidance to Advocates – Advocates Graduated Fees Reduction of 4.5% – The Bar Council

Posted May 17th, 2010 in barristers, fees, news by sally

“The first tranche of 4.5% cuts to the Criminal legal aid took effect from the 27th April 2010. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have today informed the Bar Council that the Courts computer software will not be updated and accordingly, there will be a different claims process.”

Guidance to Advocates – Advocates Graduated Fees Reduction of 4.5% (Word)

The Bar Council, 14th May 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Barristers could have right to sue solicitors for unpaid fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 6th, 2010 in barristers, contracts, fees, Law Society, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“Barristers would be able to sue solicitors for unpaid fees under proposals published by the Bar Council last week to put the relationship between the two professions on a more commercial footing.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Chairman Calls for Bar’s Voice to be Heard on Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted April 28th, 2010 in barristers, fees, news by sally

“The Chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has reacted angrily to the deep cuts to publicly funded criminal barristers’ fees, which come into force today. From today, barristers’ fixed fees for criminal defence will be cut by a total of 13.5% over the next 3 years starting with an immediate cut of 4.5%. These cuts are contained in legislation rushed through Parliament by the Ministry of Justice the day after the Easter break, the same day the election was announced.”

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The Bar Council, 27th April 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Next Step in the Bar Council’s Judicial Review on Legal Aid – The Bar Council

Posted April 12th, 2010 in barristers, fees, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council and Criminal Bar Association have today issued a joint response to the Ministry of Justice Consultation ‘Legal Aid: Reforming Advocates Graduated Fees’.”

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The Bar Council, 9th April 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Council and CBA express outrage over legal aid cuts – The Bar Council

Posted April 12th, 2010 in barristers, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“The Chairman of the Bar Council and the Chairman of the CBA have written an open letter to the profession in response to the MoJ’s announcement of cuts to criminal legal aid fees.”

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The Bar Council, 9th April 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Next Step in the Bar Council’s Judicial Review on Legal Aid – The Bar Council

Posted April 8th, 2010 in barristers, fees, judicial review, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Bar Council and Criminal Bar Association have today issued a joint response to the Ministry of Justice Consultation ‘Legal Aid: Reforming Advocates Graduated Fees.’ The response is available below, as is the letter from Bindmans sent on our behalf to the Treasury Solicitors.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 1st April 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Reforming advocates’ graduated fees and very high cost cases – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 7th, 2010 in fees, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice and Legal Services Commission have today outlined new steps that aim to rebalance the legal aid budget, reduce costs and increase value for money for legal aid.”

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Ministry of Justice, 6th April 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bar offers legal aid ‘olive branch’ on criminal fee proposals – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 1st, 2010 in barristers, fees, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council has offered the government an ‘olive branch’ to avoid judicial review proceedings if it withdraws the current criminal fee proposals and negotiates a way forward.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Jack Straw hopes to save libel reform measure after MPs rebel – The Guardian

Posted April 1st, 2010 in defamation, fees, news, solicitors by sally

“The justice secretary, Jack Straw, has said he hopes to save legislation to cut the size of the ‘no win no fee’ deals used by libel lawyers before the impending general election.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Next Step in the Bar Council’s Judicial Review on Legal Aid – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 29th, 2010 in barristers, consultations, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has extended the deadline for responses to be submitted to their consultation ‘Legal aid: reforming advocates graduated fees’ until midday on 1 April. Those who have already responded can submit revised responses, and those who have not yet responded can do so.”

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Ministry of Justice, 29th March 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Massive rise in cost to NHS of settling compensation cases – The Independent

Posted March 29th, 2010 in compensation, fees, medical treatment, negligence, news by sally

“The cost of no-win, no-fee legal claims against the National Health Service has risen 16-fold in five years. A breakdown of clinical negligence cases settled by the NHS under ‘conditional fee arrangements’ (CFA), in which solicitors get paid only if they win a case, shows that their value – in costs and damages – has risen from £6.5m in 2004-05 to £108m last year.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th MArch 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lord Martin defends no-win no-fee libel lawyers – BBC News

Posted March 26th, 2010 in defamation, fees, media, news by sally

“Former Commons Speaker Lord Martin has spoken up in defence of  ‘no win, no fee’  libel lawyers – whose fees the government is trying to curtail.”

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BBC News, 25th March 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Straw announces legal aid reforms – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 23rd, 2010 in criminal procedure, fees, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news, tenders by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has announced new proposals for the tendering of criminal legal aid services with the aim of delivering significant savings to taxpayers and a more sustainable future for the legal aid budget.”

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Ministry of Justice, 22nd March 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Lords demand curbs on pleural plaques compensation fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 18th, 2010 in asbestos, bills, compensation, fees, industrial injuries, news by sally

“Solicitors and claims management companies (CMCs) acting in pleural plaques compensation cases should have their legal fees severely curtailed, the House of Lords heard last week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th March 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Jeremy Rosenblatt: top-earning barrister guilty of inflating legal aid fee – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 16th, 2010 in barristers, fees, legal aid, news, professional conduct by sally

“One of the country’s highest paid civil barristers, Jeremy Rosenblatt, has been banned from taking on new clients for three months after he was found guilty of trying to inflate his publicly-funded legal fees.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Child protection court fees scrapped – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2010 in family courts, fees, news, reports by sally

“The government has pledged to scrap family court fees after an official review found evidence that the high cost was deterring some social service departments from applying to take abused and neglected children into care.”

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The Guardian, 15th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Libel success fees limited to 10% – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 5th, 2010 in costs, defamation, fees, media, news, solicitors by sally

“The success fees charged by lawyers in defamation cases will be cut by 90% after justice secretary Jack Straw laid an order to amend the laws on ‘no win, no fee’ agreements.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th March 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Libel lawyers have success fees cut up to 90 per cent – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 4th, 2010 in costs, defamation, fees, media, news, solicitors by sally

“Libel lawyers will have their success fees cut by 90 per cent under a Government ruling which has been hailed as a victory for press freedom.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Landmark Court of Appeal ruling on retainers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 4th, 2010 in fees, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

“Solicitors who cease acting for a client where the case has no chance of success on points of law are entitled to be paid for the work done up to that point, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th March 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk