Category: law firms

Tour Report #21: Podcast with Michael Turner QC, Chairman of The Criminal Bar Association, on the legal aid reforms – Charon QC

Posted April 30th, 2013 in barristers, judiciary, law firms, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“Michael Turner QC has robust views on the proposed reforms which will have a considerable impact on access to justice, the profession, the public and have a devastating effect on the very cornerstone of our democracy.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 30th April 2013

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

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

More than 1,600 law firms and barristers now on Legal Ombudsman’s complaints list – Legal Futures

Posted April 18th, 2013 in barristers, complaints, law firms, legal ombudsman, news by sally

“The names of 1,617 law firms and barristers who have been the subject of a formal decision by the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) are now in the public domain.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th April 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Bellwether Report 2013: Survive or Thrive? – Legal Week

Posted April 18th, 2013 in law firms, legal profession, news, reports by sally

“The LexisNexis Bellwether Report, Survive or Thrive?, takes the temperature of independent lawyers, sole practitioners and owner/lawyers in smaller law firms, to see how they are dealing with the current financial, regulatory and legal climate.”

Full story

Legal Week, 17th April 2013

Source: www.legalweek.com

The Legal Ombudsman Scheme: how it works and how firms can challenge it – 4 New Square

Posted March 26th, 2013 in appeals, complaints, law firms, legal ombudsman, news by sally

“The Legal Ombudsman (‘LeO’) publishes brief summaries of its decisions on its website. Where awards have been made against lawyers to date the amounts have usually been very modest: hundreds rather than thousands of pounds. There has not been much for lawyers or their insurers to worry about. But things could be about to change.”

Full story (PDF)

4 New Square, 21st March 2013

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Trouble for personal injury law firms means trouble for claimants – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2013 in costs, fees, law firms, news, personal injuries by sally

“While there is little public sympathy for solicitors the truth is that people will soon find it harder to claim compensation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The future of personal injury – land of opportunity or time to get out? – Legal Futures

Posted March 14th, 2013 in fees, law firms, news, personal injuries by sally

“What many personal injury (PI) firms have long feared is finally upon us, and there is no turning back.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 14th March 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Frantic” firms creating hump of CFA cases that will take years to clear, says QC – Litigation Futures

Posted March 8th, 2013 in fees, law firms, negligence, news, speeches by tracey

“The 1 April Jackson reforms start date is creating a ‘hump’ of conditional fee agreement (CFA) cases that will take years to clear the courts, a leading clinical negligence barrister has predicted.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 7th March 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Insurer wrong to reject law firm’s blanket notification of possible claims, High Court rules – Legal Futures

Posted February 5th, 2013 in insurance, law firms, news, notification by tracey

“A professional indemnity (PI) insurer was wrong to reject a law firm’s blanket notification of possible claims, the High Court has decided in what is believed to be the first ruling of its kind.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 5th February 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Stephensons: on becoming an ABS – LegalVoice

Posted January 18th, 2013 in alternative business structures, law firms, news by tracey

“Stephensons Solicitors, a leading legal aid firm in the north-west, secured approval as an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) early in the new year, and has already appointed its first non-lawyer partner.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 17th January 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

A Time of Change: Solicitors’ Firms in England and Wales – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 17th, 2013 in law firms, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“A report setting out findings from a survey of solicitors’ firms commissioned jointly by the Law Society, Legal Services Board and Ministry of Justice.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, January 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Fair access to the legal profession – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in diversity, law firms, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

“City law firms are exploring ways to remove barriers that prevent students from lower-income backgrounds pursuing a career in law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Injured feelings: Jackson reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 13th, 2012 in case management, civil procedure rules, costs, insurance, law firms, news, personal injuries by sally

“Controversy still rages over whether the Jackson reforms are a coherent set of proposals that will rebalance a system where claims and costs are out of control, or if they represent an assault on access to justice for people whom ‘no win, no fee’ represents the only hope of redress for a wrong inflicted on them.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th December 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.gov.uk

Asylum lawyers warned over disclosure – BBC News

Posted November 19th, 2012 in asylum, disclosure, injunctions, law firms, news, professional conduct by sally

“Lawyers could be disciplined for not disclosing ‘all material facts’ in legal bids to halt removal of asylum seekers, a senior judge has said.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.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

Pro bono: do we need to rethink the formula post legal aid? – The Guardian

Posted November 6th, 2012 in law firms, legal profession, news, pro bono work by sally

“A survey shows that most law firms have not planned to change their pro bono activity to respond to the cuts in legal aid.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pro bono – minding the gap – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 25th, 2012 in law firms, news, pro bono work by sally

“The tough economic climate, coupled with the threat to frontline advice agencies from local authority and legal aid cuts, has dramatically increased demand for free legal help. National Pro Bono Week, which starts on 5 November, will focus attention on the question ‘is something better than nothing?’ as law firms of all sizes explore how they can best respond, and in-house counsel press for regulatory change so they can offer more pro bono support.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

LASPO and the domestic violence gateway – LegalVoice

Posted October 16th, 2012 in domestic violence, families, law firms, legal aid, news by tracey

“As a solicitor, who set up a firm with two other family lawyers in 2005 primarily to deal with family legal aid cases for the mixed housing area of Shirley in Southampton where we practice, I was very concerned when I heard of the proposed new reforms for family legal aid work, writes Wendy Hewstone. I am a member of the Legal Aid Practitioner Group committee and have the Law Society council seat for the group so was probably more aware of the proposed changes than many and have seen and responded to numerous consultation papers.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 15th October 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

 

Don’t be afraid to complain about your lawyer says Legal Ombudsman – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2012 in complaints, law firms, legal ombudsman, legal profession, news by tracey

“Clients of law firms are scared to complain when things go wrong and are confused about the complaints system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

IBA 2012: former president of American bar dismisses ‘risky’ ABS model – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 5th, 2012 in alternative business structures, law firms, news, professional conduct by tracey

“The immediate past-president of the American Bar Association has strongly denounced alternative business structures, arguing that non-lawyer investment in law firms compromises the client’s best interests and undermines professional independence.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 4th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Complaints data naming law firms goes live today – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 17th, 2012 in complaints, law firms, legal ombudsman, news by sally

“The Legal Ombudsman has today published an online list of complaints relating to 770 law firms across England and Wales.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk