Barristers to be balloted on possible walkouts in row over legal aid rates – The Guardian

‘Barristers are to be balloted this weekend on escalating industrial action over legal aid rates as figures reveal the number of crown court cases adjourned because of a shortage of lawyers has increased nearly fivefold over the decade.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Regulators must tackle “out-of-date” lawyers, LSB says – Legal Futures

‘Legal regulators must take action to ensure that lawyers are not operating with “out-of-date” skills or knowledge, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 10th June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge calls for guidance on rights of unqualified agency advocates – Legal Futures

Posted June 10th, 2022 in advocacy, barristers, county courts, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘County court judges would benefit from “more authoritative guidance” from the higher courts on whether unqualified solicitor’s agents have rights of audience, a circuit judge has said.’

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Legal Futures, 10th June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunals agree to “deterrent” sanctions for sexual and racial misconduct – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) and Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) have agreed to impose “deterrent” sanctions for sexual and racial misconduct and other forms of discrimination, bullying or harassment.’

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Legal Futures, 7 June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

No future in criminal defence, juniors tell Law Society – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 6th, 2022 in criminal justice, fees, Law Society, news, remuneration, solicitors, statistics by tracey

‘Few junior lawyers see criminal defence as a viable long-term career, according to the unsurprising results of a Law Society survey.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 1st June 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Supreme Court maintains SRA costs protection for failed prosecutions – Legal Futures

‘The Supreme Court has upheld the principle that costs should only be awarded against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in unsuccessful prosecutions where there is good reason to do so.’

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Legal Futures, 26th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Alerter by Kathleen Donnelly and Thomas Evans – No Relief from Missed Cut-Off Date – Henderson Chambers

Posted May 18th, 2022 in chambers articles, delay, news, solicitors, time limits by sally

‘Claimants who missed the cut-off date for joining the VW NOx Emissions Group Litigation were refused relief from sanction in Baker & Ors v VWAG & Ors [2022] EWHC 810 (QB).’

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Henderson Chambers, 9th May 2022

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Identity of person instructing solicitors not covered by privilege – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has rejected a company’s claim to litigation privilege over the identity of who instructed its lawyers.’

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Legal Futures, 16th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge blasts ‘wasteful’ lawyers who filed 6,000-page bundles – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 16th, 2022 in costs, judges, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘A High Court judge has issued a stern rebuke to lawyers who ran up massive costs and lumbered the court with voluminous bundles.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors lose appeal over £2m invoice charged through DBA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 13th, 2022 in appeals, costs, damages, insolvency, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an attempt by solicitors to secure a £2m payment from an insolvent client for work carried out on a damages based agreement.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘We will sue the pants off them’: outrage over LAA announcement – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 13th, 2022 in criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The Legal Aid Agency has sparked panic among the criminal defence community by announcing that some providers could lose out on work when new contracts begin this autumn. One firm, for which legal aid comprises 60% of its workload, told the Gazette that it could go out of business.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA disciplinary decisions could stay in public domain for longer – Legal Futures

‘Details of disciplinary and other regulatory action taken by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) could be published for longer than the current three years to combat misinformation online, it said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 11th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Litigant banned over ‘unjustified’ complaints to regulators – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A former nurse who made “wholly inappropriate and unjustified allegations of wrongdoing” against lawyers has been banned from bringing proceedings for two years by a High Court judge, who said regulators must be “astute in identifying litigants who abusively use [the] regulatory process”.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers limit community care cases “to help firms stay afloat” – Legal Futures

‘Community care lawyers are limiting the amount and type of legal aid work they do to ensure that their firms remain financially viable, a report has found.’

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Legal Futures, 6th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Minister: Reforms “not exactly” what criminal legal aid review said – Legal Futures

Posted April 28th, 2022 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘Justice minister James Cartlidge has admitted to MPs that the government’s response to an independent review of criminal legal aid was “not exactly” what its author, Sir Christopher Bellamy, proposed.’

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Legal Futures, 28th April 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Litigator’s claim against ex-firm struck out for unless order failure – Legal Futures

‘A civil litigator with experience of employment disputes has had an unfair dismissal claim against his former firm struck out for failing to comply with an unless order.’

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Legal Futures, 12th April 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Case Comment: Bott & Co Solicitors v Ryanair DAC [2022] UKSC 8 – UKSC Blog

Posted April 5th, 2022 in airlines, compensation, delay, fees, news, solicitors, Supreme Court by sally

‘The case brought by Bott & Co Solicitors (“Bott”) against Ryanair DAC (“Ryanair”) concerns the extent of the solicitor’s equitable lien, a remedy that has been recognised by the courts for over two hundred years.’

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UKSC Blog, 1st April 2022

Source: ukscblog.com

GPs attack “bullying” solicitors over Covid exemption letters – Legal Futures

Posted March 29th, 2022 in coronavirus, doctors, news, solicitors, vaccination by sally

‘The British Medical Association (BMA) has accused solicitors of bullying GPs by threatening legal action if the doctor does not provide a Covid vaccination exemption for their client.’

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Legal Futures, 29th March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal issues reminder that funding arrangements need to comply with strict rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 28th, 2022 in appeals, assignment, champerty, damages, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The English and Welsh Court of Appeal has handed down a judgment which should act as a reminder for law firms that any innovative funding arrangements must comply with statutory rules or risk being declared void.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th March 2022

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Judge terminates appointment of guardian who criticised solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted March 23rd, 2022 in children, electronic mail, guardianship, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘A circuit judge has terminated the appointment of the guardian of a young child in care proceedings after he criticised the father’s solicitor in a letter to the law firm’s head of department.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk