A tricky path – New Law Journal

“The conveyancing profession has always had to walk a difficult line in carrying out its day-to-day activities in property transactions. Not only are conveyancers required to be expert in all aspects of property related law, but they have a duty of care to everyone in the transaction (or so it seems). It can easily be the case that, despite a firm’s intentions to act in their client’s best interests, under outcomes-focused regulation, they can still be held liable for issues that arise. This responsibility, coupled with increasing regulation and compliance requirements, downward pressure on fees and on-going problems with access to lender panels, makes the conveyancing landscape more than a little challenging.”

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New Law Journal, 18th April 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

The case for QASA – Legal Futures

Posted April 9th, 2013 in advocacy, criminal justice, legal profession, news, quality assurance by sally

“David Wolfe QC of Matrix Chambers argues that the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) is a necessary step to assure the competence of criminal advocates and answers the main criticisms levelled by its opponents.”

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Legal Futures, 9th April 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Northern barristers vote en masse to reject QASA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 5th, 2013 in barristers, elections, judicial review, news, quality assurance by sally

“Northern circuit barristers have overwhelmingly voted to reject the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) in a secret ballot carried out at end of the March.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 5th April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Our justice system is being turned into Profit & Growth plc – The Guardian

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in criminal justice, legal profession, news, quality assurance, tenders by sally

“Under Chris Grayling’s plans, lawyers will become unit-shifters employed by large corporations.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

QASA fourth consultation report published – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 27th, 2013 in codes of practice, consultations, press releases, quality assurance by sally

“Today’s publication of the report on the fourth QASA consultation reveals the changes that have been made in response to barrister feedback and consultation responses.”

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Bar Standards Board, 26th March 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

QASA: part of a sustained attack on legal aid? – LegalVoice

Posted March 21st, 2013 in advocacy, barristers, legal aid, legal profession, news, quality assurance by sally

“Amongst criminal lawyers, the issues surrounding QASA – the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates – that have been rumbling on for a few years, is coming to a head, writes Dan Bunting. The Criminal Bar Association have come out very strongly against it which prompted a strong response from Baroness Ruth Deech, the Chair of the Bar Standards Board. It has also managed to achieve the impossible – uniting barristers and solicitors.”

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LegalVoice, 21st March 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

The “noisy minority” of barristers opposed to QASA hit back at BSB claims – Legal Futures

Posted March 21st, 2013 in advocacy, barristers, legal profession, news, quality assurance by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) chair’s description of opponents of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) as ‘a noisy minority of dissenters’ received an immediate high-powered response from criminal law barristers.”

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Legal Futures, 21st March 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Snap inspections expose scandal of ‘institutionalised abuse’ in care homes and hospitals – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, hospitals, news, quality assurance by sally

“A landmark programme of unannounced inspections in hospitals and care homes has
found that more than a third are still failing to respect elderly people’s basic
dignity, despite a series of scandals.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Risk-Assessed’ supervision consultation launched – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 28th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, news, quality assurance by sally

“Sets of chambers and barristers have the opportunity to influence how they are supervised by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) by taking part in a consultation exercise launched today.”

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Bar Standards Board, 26th February 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

New ‘risk-based’ approach to supervision approved – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 18th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, disciplinary procedures, news, quality assurance by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has approved a consultation on a new approach to the supervision of chambers and barristers.”

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Bar Standards Board, 15th February 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

‘Not up to standard’: 25% of care agencies providing services to people in their homes are failing – The Independent

“A quarter of agencies that provide care to people in their own homes do not meet all five national standards of quality and safety, regulators said.”

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The Independent, 13th February 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Silk cut: are QCs a luxury we can’t afford? – LegalVoice

Posted January 25th, 2013 in fees, legal aid, news, quality assurance, queen's counsel by sally

“Criminal defence silk’s earnings from legal aid came into focus this week after Justice Secretary Chris Grayling gave strong indications he is considering targeting QCs, writes Elizabeth Davidson.”

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LegalVoice, 25th January 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Barristers fear QASA boycott will lead to loss of right to practise – Legal Futures

Posted January 22nd, 2013 in barristers, judiciary, news, quality assurance by sally

“Some barristers are worried that boycotting the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) will lead to their committing a criminal offence by practising without authorisation, the chairman of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has revealed.”

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Legal Futures, 22nd January 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Dalmare SpA v Union Maritime Ltd and another – WLR Daily

Dalmare SpA v Union Maritime Ltd and another [2012] EWHC 3537 (Comm); [2012] WLR (D) 391

“Section 14(2) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 implied a term into a memorandum of agreement for the sale of a vessel sold ‘as she was’ that the goods would be of satisfactory quality.”

WLR Daily, 13th December 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Annual assessments for doctors ‘will improve care and cut legal costs’ – The Guardian

Posted November 6th, 2012 in compensation, doctors, medical treatment, news, quality assurance by sally

“Giving all doctors annual assessments and detailed checks every five years will result in better care for patients and reduce compensation claims, but may see an exodus of experienced medics from the NHS who are reluctant to be tested, a government study has warned.”

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The Guardian, 6th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

LSB publishes response to approaches to quality consultation – Legal Services Board

Posted September 17th, 2012 in consultations, legal services, news, quality assurance by sally

“The LSB today publishes its response to its consultation on approaches to quality in the legal services market.”

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Legal Services Board, 17th September 2012

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

A call to arms – The Bar Council

Posted September 6th, 2012 in barristers, consultations, news, quality assurance by sally

“Call to respond to the fourth consultation on the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates; communications between the Bar Council and the Bar; Bar Council elections.”

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The Bar Council, 6th September 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Doctors to be re-assessed every five years – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 20th, 2012 in doctors, news, quality assurance by sally

“Family doctors will be reassessed to ensure they remain competent every five years from December, the medical watchdog said yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

QASA fourth consultation goes live – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 13th, 2012 in advocacy, barristers, consultations, news, quality assurance by sally

“The fourth and final consultation on the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (Crime) (QASA) goes live today, Thursday 12 July.”

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Bar Standards Board, 12th July 2012

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Final consultation launched on advocacy accreditation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 13th, 2012 in advocacy, consultations, news, quality assurance by sally

“A fourth – and ‘final’ – consultation on the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) published today (12 July) contains a number of ‘significant’ changes that solicitors’ representative groups have welcomed.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th July 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk