Firm sacked paralegal days after emergency bowel surgery – Law Society’s Gazette

‘ Birmingham firm who dismissed a worker within days of him leaving hospital post-surgery have been found in breach of employment law by a tribunal.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th February 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law firm discriminated against disabled paralegal – Legal Futures

Posted February 6th, 2020 in disability discrimination, law firms, news, paralegals by sally

‘A law firm discriminated against a seriously ill paralegal by dismissing him after only three months while he was on sick leave, an employment tribunal has ruled’

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Legal Futures, 6th February 202

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers could be forced to sign up to comparison websites – Legal Futures

‘Law firms, chambers and other legal services providers could be forced to sign up to comparison websites so that clients can let others know about the quality of service they received.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor rejected for job was victim of age discrimination – Legal Futures

‘An experienced property solicitor was rejected for a job at a law firm despite being the only person interviewed because of age discrimination, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 29th January 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Disabled lawyers “face daily discrimination” – Legal Futures

‘Disabled lawyers face both overt and “unconscious” discrimination on a daily basis, such as “rituals, practices and attitudes that exclude or undermine them”, according to research published today.’

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Legal Futures, 24th February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Divorcee sues top law firm after taking out ‘crippling’ loan to pay for legal fight with husband – Daily Telegraph

‘A businesswoman who wrongly believed she would win a substantial divorce settlement from her wealthy husband is suing a top law firm after taking out a crippling loan to pay their fees.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Female lawyers should not be forced to wear heels, says Baroness Hale – The Independent

‘The UK’s most senior judge has condemned law firms that demand female lawyers wear high heels, as she lamented the lack of “progress” on sex discrimination in the legal profession.’

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The Independent, 12th January 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tribunal overturns unfair dismissal ruling against partner – Legal Futures

‘An employment tribunal has ruled that it was wrong to uphold an unfair dismissal claim against a partner in a law firm closed down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 8th January 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Profession needs “healthier” approach to alcohol – Legal Futures

Posted January 7th, 2020 in alcohol abuse, health, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘The profession needs to create a healthier culture around alcohol, including never asking people at events why they are not drinking, the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) has urged.’

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Legal Futures, 6th January 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal sector to shed thousands of jobs in coming years – Legal Futures

Posted December 10th, 2019 in employment, law firms, legal services, news by sally

‘The legal services sector is to shed 13,000 jobs in the decade to 2027 – with a further 22,000 at risk if technology brings radical change to the workforce, research for the Law Society has predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 10th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal aid firm loses JR over contract withdrawal – Legal Futures

Posted December 9th, 2019 in contracts, judicial review, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

‘There is no basis for a law firm’s challenge to a Legal Aid Agency (LAA) decision to reject its tender for a legal aid contract, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 9th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Ageism” of virtual law firms not being confronted – Legal Futures

Posted December 6th, 2019 in age discrimination, law firms, news by sally

‘The “ageism” of new-breed ‘virtual’ law firms, with their focus on senior lawyers at the expense of younger ones, has not been confronted, an analysis has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 6th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firm wrong to make solicitor pay for training course – Legal Futures

‘A law firm made an unlawful deduction of wages when it took £1,700 from the salary of a sacked solicitor turned office manager to cover the cost of a training course, an employment judge has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Supreme Court delivers Judgment in Thomas Arthur Watkins (Respondent) v Hugh James Ford Simey Solicitors (Appellant) [2019] UKSC 54 on appeal from [2018] EWCA Civ 1299 – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘The Supreme Court has delivered another significant Judgment arising from the handling of the VWF litigation against British Coal.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 20th November 2019

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

SRA rules open up working or competing with the Bar – Legal Futures

‘The new rules allowing solicitors to work from unregulated businesses open up several opportunities for solicitors – including working with or in competition with barristers, specialists have predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Case Comment: Edwards on behalf of the Estate of the late Thomas Arthur Watkins v Hugh James Ford Simey Solicitors [2019] UKSC 54 – UKSC Blog

‘In a unanimous judgment, the Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a firm of solicitors in relation to a professional negligence claim concerning alleged under-settlement of a coal miner’s personal injury claim in 2003. The Supreme Court found that, since medical evidence of the nature subsequently obtained in the context of the professional negligence claim would not have been obtained in 2003, it should not be admissible when assessing the extent of the Claimant’s loss in the professional negligence claim. In reaching its decision, and unlike the Court of Appeal, it did not give its general views on the admissibility of evidence that would not have been available at the time of the original underlying claim.’

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UKSC Blog, 26th November 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Reach for the STaRs – new solicitors’ rulebook goes live – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) new rulebook – Standards and Regulations (STaRs) – comes into force today, with experts highlighting several areas of significant change and opportunity for firms.’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firm co-founder was not an employee, tribunal rules – Legal Futures

Posted November 22nd, 2019 in barristers, employment tribunals, law firms, news, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘One of the barrister founders of a pioneering legal aid firm in the North-East was not an employee or worker and so cannot bring unfair dismissal and other claims, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

City firms’ presenteeism culture in the dock – Legal Futures

Posted November 20th, 2019 in families, flexible working, law firms, news by sally

‘The case of a City lawyer told that leaving work slightly early to pick up her children was setting a bad example, shows how the profession needs to work on changing the culture of presenteeism, a flexible working specialist has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 20th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor tried to take unfair advantage of other lawyer’s error – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor discarded an undertaking he had given and tried to take advantage of a mistake made by the law firm on the other side of a conveyancing transaction, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 15th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk