Revealed: law firms costing NHS millions – The Times

Posted March 30th, 2009 in fees, law firms, news by sally

“The law firm Irwin Mitchell has topped a league table of clinical negligence lawyers paid the most by the NHS, picking up almost £11m in fees and costs last year from compensation claims by patients.”

Full story

The Times, 29th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Regulation of City law firms ‘not fit for purpose’ – The Times

Posted March 26th, 2009 in law firms, news by sally

“The regulation of big corporate law firms is not ‘fit for purpose’ and urgently needs reform, a report for the Law Society has concluded.”

Full story

The Times, 26th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

PCC chair criticises media law firms – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2009 in law firms, media, news by sally

“The chairman of the Press Complaints Commission has rounded on a number of London media law firms, saying that they see the press watchdog as their ‘sworn enemy’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th March 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law Soc calls for tax exemption for smaller firms – Legal Week

Posted March 17th, 2009 in law firms, news, taxation by sally

“The Law Society has urged HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to consider suspending the practice of taxing law firms before they have been paid for their services for the remainder of the recession.”

Full story

Legal Week, 17th March 2009

Source: www.legalweek.com

Law firms from 21 countries meet to plot case against Bernard Madoff – The Times

Posted March 9th, 2009 in fraud, law firms, news by sally

“A global coalition of law firms representing victims of Bernard Madoff’s alleged Ponzi scheme will today meet to plot their case against the fund manager.”

Full story

The Times, 9th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Cool heads: meet ten lawyers thriving despite the recession – The Times

Posted March 9th, 2009 in law firms, news by sally

“As big firms cut hundreds of transactional lawyers, some have never been busier.”

Full story

The Times, 9th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Here’s £10,000, take a year off, law firms tell graduate recruits – The Times

Posted March 5th, 2009 in law firms, news by sally

“City law firms are offering graduate recruits up to £10,000 each to stay away from the office for a year. The move has been driven by the credit crunch, with firms fearing that trainees will not get sufficient experience.”

Full story 

The Times, 5th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Solicitors’ regulator faces corporate rebellion – The Times

Posted February 26th, 2009 in law firms, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

“Do the big corporate law firms want to be policed alongside their high street counterparts? And is such dual regulation even possible? As two ends of the profession become increasingly differentiated, so the task of regulating both becomes harder. Now, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is facing a rebellion in the City, where leading global practices say that the two-year-old body cannot regulate the profession’s top end.”

Full story

The Times, 26th February 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Work-permit policy for trainees ‘discrimination’, appeal tribunal rules – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 20th, 2009 in law firms, news, race discrimination by sally

“Law firms that refuse to consider training contract applications from students who would need a work permit are having to review the policy following a ruling last week. The Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld a finding of indirect race discrimination on the grounds of nationality against top-30 firm Osborne Clarke.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 19th February 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law firm Fox Hayes fined almost £1m for role in share scams – The Times

Posted February 17th, 2009 in financial regulation, fraud, law firms, news by sally

“A defunct British law firm has been fined nearly £1 million for ‘recklessly’ assisting Spanish boiler rooms to defraud British investors out of millions of pounds.”

Full story

The Times, 17th February 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Freshfields puts the brake on spiral of law salaries – The Times

Posted February 10th, 2009 in law firms, news, remuneration by sally

“Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, one of Britain’s oldest law firms, yesterday called a ceasefire in a pay war in which starting salaries for City lawyers have risen to more than £90,000.”

Full story

The Times, 10th February 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Sexpat’ lawyer who published online erotic novel sacked from City firm – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 3rd, 2009 in harassment, law firms, news by sally

“A lawyer who was sacked for publishing a highly erotic novel online is threatening to sue her ex-bosses for alleged sexual harassment.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd February 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government ‘repeating mistakes’ by fighting miners in court – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2009 in claims management, fees, industrial injuries, law firms, miners, news by sally

“The government is spending millions of pounds in legal fees fighting the claims of sick miners in a move that lawyers say will recreate the mistakes of the past.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clifford Chance to axe up to 80 London lawyers – The Times

Posted January 8th, 2009 in law firms, news, redundancy by sally

“Clifford Chance, the world’s largest law firm by revenues, has begun a redundancy consultation that could see up to 80 lawyers losing their jobs in London.”

Full story

The Times, 8th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Simmons & Simmons named most gay-friendly law firm – The Times

Posted January 8th, 2009 in homosexuality, law firms, news by sally

“Simmons & Simmons has been named the most gay-friendly law firm in the UK by a leading lobby group. ”

Full story

The Times, 7th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Nigel Boardman: law firms right to target underperforming partners – The Times

Posted January 7th, 2009 in law firms, news by sally

“Law firms are right to cut underperforming partners as they look to slash costs ahead of a downturn, the UK’s leading corporate lawyer said.”

Full story

The Times, 7th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Hard times spark falling-out of partners in leading law firms – The Times

Posted January 6th, 2009 in law firms, news, partnerships by sally

“Once regarded as secure for life, partners in Britain’s leading law firms are now being presented with a stark choice: prove your worth or leave. Almost 2,000 of them could go.”

Full story

The Times, 6th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

EAT rules law firms can force partners to retire – The Times

Posted January 6th, 2009 in law firms, news, retirement by sally

“Law firms will be able to enforce a mandatory retirement age for partners following a landmark ruling that clarifies how age discrimination laws apply to partnerships.”

Full story

The Times, 5th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

City law firms prepare for painful year ahead – The Times

Posted January 5th, 2009 in law firms, news by sally

“Expectations of a prolonged economic slump combined with a renewed assault on lawyers’ fees means that top City law firms are bracing themselves for a painful 2009.”

Full story

The Times, 2nd January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law firm bypasses banks to protect partners’ payouts – The Times

Posted December 5th, 2008 in law firms, news, partnerships, remuneration by sally

“A leading UK law firm has paid its partners £12 million in profits ahead of schedule because it believes that the money will be safer in private rather than corporate bank accounts.”

Full story

The Times, 5th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk