Private law firms letting down the side on diversity – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2010 in equality, law firms, legal profession, news by sally

“The UK’s legal profession continues to drag its feet in ensuring the same opportunities for all regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.”

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The Guardian, 7th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Britain’s top law firms lose their magic touch in the downturn – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 6th, 2010 in law firms, news by sally

Britain’s top law firms are losing their magic touch in the downturn with Linklaters the latest to be hit by the dearth of mergers and acquisitions activity.

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Daily Telegraph, 6th July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawyers warn that court closures could threaten access to justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 1st, 2010 in consultations, courts, law firms, magistrates, news by sally

“Lawyers have warned that government proposals to close nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales could threaten access to justice and increase pressure on legal aid practitioners.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

More immigration advice providers could close – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2010 in immigration, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

“More organisations providing immigration and asylum advice could face closure as only 252 out of over 400 applicants were successful in their bids for contracts from the Legal Service Commission.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar rules delay blamed for low LDP take-up – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 28th, 2010 in alternative business structures, barristers, law firms, news by sally

“The delay in the relaxation of rules preventing barristers from entering law firm partnerships has been blamed for the low take-up of the first wave of new legal business structures.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 27th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Eversheds to fight employment tribunal bias ruling – Law Society’s Gazette

“National firm Eversheds last week lodged an appeal against an Employment Tribunal ruling that it must pay £123,300 in compensation to a male associate who suffered sexual discrimination during the firm’s 2009 redundancy programme.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 13th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Employment Appeal Tribunal issues TUPE judgment on contract wins – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 29th, 2010 in contracts, employment tribunals, law firms, news, transfer of undertakings by sally

“The first case to reach the Employment Appeal Tribunal concerning a dispute between two law firms over the employment law implications of winning a client contract from another firm has provided ‘much-needed clarification’ on the issue, experts have said.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

General counsel ‘bypass law firms’ and go directly to the bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 29th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“General counsel are increasingly bypassing law firms to go directly to the bar for legal advice, according to a report published today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Firms face bar competition after conduct rules relaxed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 9th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, news by sally

“Changes to the barristers’ code of conduct that enable them to undertake work that was previously only open to solicitors will increase competition but give law firms the opportunity to pick up ‘talent from the bar’, according to consultants.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Historic Liberalisation of Permitted Practice at the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 6th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board approves Bar Standards Board applications designed to relax provisions in Code of Conduct for barristers’ working practices.”

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Bar Standards Board, 1st April 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

O2 condemns lawyers targeting alleged file-sharers – BBC News

Posted March 18th, 2010 in copyright, internet, law firms, news, telecommunications by sally

“Mobile firm O2 has stepped into the row over thousands of controversial letters that are being sent to alleged illegal file-sharers in the UK.”

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BBC News, 17th March 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fears over non-Muslims’ use of Islamic law to resolve disputes – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2010 in dispute resolution, islamic law, law firms, news, tribunals by sally

“Campaigners have voiced concerns over a growing number of non-Muslims using Islamic law to resolve legal disputes in Britain despite controversy over the role of sharia law.”

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The Guardian, 14th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Two solicitors accused over file-sharing ‘bully tactics’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority has referred two solicitors from London firm Davenport Lyons to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over claims that the firm sent ‘bullying’ letters accusing hundreds of people of illegal file-sharing.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 11th March 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.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

Law firm ‘in contempt’ over MP legal threat – The Independent

Posted February 25th, 2010 in law firms, news, parliamentary privilege by sally

“A leading law firm has been found ‘in contempt’ of the Commons after threatening an MP with legal proceedings if he made allegations about one of its clients in the House.”

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The Independent, 25th February 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitors ‘key’ to increasing judicial diversity – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 25th, 2010 in equality, judiciary, law firms, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“Persuading more solicitors to apply for judicial posts is ‘absolutely key’ to increasing diversity in the judiciary, the chairwoman of the Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity told the Gazette this week, as the panel published a raft of recommendations aimed at improving diversity on the bench.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th February 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law firm’s piracy hunt condemned – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2010 in copyright, internet, law firms, news by sally

“Music industry representative the BPI has criticised the approach used by a UK law firm in chasing file-sharers.”

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BBC News, 29th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs to investigate solicitors’ ‘contempt of parliament’ – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2010 in law firms, news, parliamentary privilege by sally

“MPs today agreed to investigate an allegation that a firm of solicitors committed a contempt of parliament by trying to stop a member speaking about a constituency issue in the House of Commons.”

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The Guardian, 14th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law firm probe clients contacted – BBC News

Posted January 5th, 2010 in false accounting, law firms, news by sally

“Letters are being sent to clients of a firm of solicitors which was shut down in an investigation into claims of dishonesty and account irregularities.”

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BBC News, 4th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Firms settle trademark dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 6th, 2009 in law firms, news, trade marks by sally

“Nottingham firm Paragon Law has forced West Bromwich and Peterborough firm Paragon Solicitors to change its name and pay legal costs after a trade mark dispute.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 5th November 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk