Category: solicitors

First Tier Tribunal wrongly struck out landlord penalty appeal after solicitor failed to pay hearing fee, Upper Tribunal rules – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 8th, 2021 in appeals, fees, housing, landlord & tenant, licensing, local government, news, penalties, solicitors, time limits, tribunals by sally

‘A private landlord will have her appeal of a £7,000 penalty for failure to license a house in multiple occupation (HMO) decided by a different judge after it was initially refused by the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) because her solicitor failed to pay the hearing fee on time, the Upper Tribunal has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Former CPS solicitor rebuked for offensive Facebook posts – Legal Futures

Posted September 8th, 2021 in Crown Prosecution Service, disciplinary procedures, internet, news, professional conduct, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘ A solicitor who shared a petition from far-right group Britain First on her Facebook page while working for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 7th September 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“You know what we meant!” Supreme Court guidance on non-compete clauses – 3PB

Posted August 26th, 2021 in competition, news, non-disclosure agreements, restraint of trade, solicitors, Supreme Court, undertakings by sally

‘On 23 July 2021 the Supreme Court handed down its unanimous judgment on the issues of restraint of trade and solicitors’ undertakings. This article considers the central issue before the court, namely whether a non-compete undertaking within a non-disclosure agreement was an unreasonable restraint of trade and therefore unenforceable.’

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3PB, 9th August 2021

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

High Court uses new guideline rates ahead of formal introduction – Legal Futures

Posted August 24th, 2021 in civil justice, Civil Justice Council, costs, fees, news, solicitors by sally

‘The new guideline hourly rates (GHR) will not formally come into force until 1 October but the High Court yesterday took them into account when dealing with a summary assessment.’

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Legal Futures, 24th August 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Costs judge rejects “regrettable” overcharging allegations – Legal Futures

Posted August 23rd, 2021 in asylum, costs, fees, immigration, law firms, news, professional conduct, solicitors by tracey

‘A judge has rejected claims by the wife of a convicted Kazakh businessman that she was overcharged by a London law firm for her asylum application and described the allegations of misconduct she levelled as “regrettable”.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd August 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Cost of practising as a solicitor set to fall by 6.7% – Legal Futures

Posted August 20th, 2021 in budgets, fees, law firms, Law Society, Legal Services Board, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The cost of practising as a solicitor is to fall by 6.7% in the coming year, although it may have to rise in future once the Law Society sets a new reserves policy.’

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Legal Futures, 20th August 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers pledge to boycott extended court hours – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 6th, 2021 in barristers, complaints, coronavirus, courts, delay, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, solicitors, working time by tracey

‘Almost 400 solicitors and barristers have signed an open letter to HM Courts & Tribunals Service, refusing to attend a ‘single court listing outside of regular court hours’. The Ministry of Justice responded today by denying the existence of any plan for weekend sittings.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th August 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers pledge to boycott extended court hours – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 5th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, solicitors, working time by sally

‘Almost 400 solicitors and barristers have signed an open letter to HM Courts & Tribunals Service, refusing to attend a ‘single court listing outside of regular court hours’. The Ministry of Justice responded today by denying the existence of any plan for weekend sittings.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th August 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

If in doubt, don’t assume it’s a solicitor’s undertaking – Hailsham Chambers

Posted July 29th, 2021 in appeals, chambers articles, covenants, injunctions, limitations, news, restraint of trade, solicitors, Supreme Court, undertakings by sally

‘In its 23 July 2021 judgment, the Supreme Court tackled the severe limitations of solicitors’ undertakings in the modern era in Harcus Sinclair LLP v Your Lawyers Ltd [2021] UKSC 32. All practitioners will need to know about this vitally important unanimous judgment.’

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Hailsham Chambers, 26th July 2021

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

Nationality and Borders Bill: risking Britain’s reputation? – 5SAH

Posted July 28th, 2021 in asylum, bills, chambers articles, conflict of interest, fines, government departments, immigration, legal representation, news, refugees, solicitors by sally

‘The Law Society has warned the new Nationality and Borders Bill risks jeopardising Britain’s “global reputation for justice”.’

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5SAH, 22nd July 2021

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Technology and innovation “step-change” in last year but barriers persist – Legal Futures

Posted July 27th, 2021 in computer programs, coronavirus, internet, law firms, legal services, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘The past year has seen a “step change” in the adoption of legal technology and innovation, in part as a result of Covid-19, a major piece of new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 27th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Defensive Advising Strategies 2: Know Your Client – Wilberforce Chambers

Posted July 27th, 2021 in barristers, chambers articles, codes of practice, conflict of interest, financial dispute resolution, legal profession, legal services, money laundering, news, solicitors by sally

‘With a history in the world of financial services regulation, “know your customer/client” or “KYC” is a cornerstone of professional practice. What does it mean for legal professionals? In this instalment of my series on defensive advising strategies, I consider three aspects of KYC which are particularly relevant to lawyers, with an emphasis on the interface between solicitors and other professionals and the barristers they instruct. This perspective is based on my own experience as a practitioner and raises issues which crop up relatively frequently.’

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Wilberforce Chambers, 22nd July 2021

Source: www.wilberforce.co.uk

SRA: Number of workplace bullying investigations on the rise – Legal Futures

Posted July 23rd, 2021 in bullying, disciplinary procedures, law firms, news, professional conduct, sexual offences, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, statistics by sally

‘Solicitors under investigation by their regulator are increasingly citing workplace bullying as a reason for their misconduct, according to a report published yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Stronger rules on ongoing competence move step closer – Legal Futures

Posted July 21st, 2021 in barristers, continuing professional development, legal profession, legal services, Legal Services Board, news, quality assurance, solicitors by sally

‘The current regulatory approach to lawyers’ ongoing competence needs to change, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has concluded, with assessments such as spot checks likely to be part of the reform.’

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Legal Futures, 20th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Negligence action against lawyers over amputation not time-barred – Legal Futures

Posted July 21st, 2021 in accidents, compensation, damages, limitations, negligence, news, solicitors, time limits by sally

‘A man who received “devastating news” that his lower leg needed to be amputated seven years after settling his personal injury claim is not prevented by limitation from suing his lawyers for negligence, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 21st July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Retired solicitor sees off harassment claim over ‘puerile’ blog – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 21st, 2021 in freedom of expression, harassment, internet, local government, media, mental health, news, public interest, solicitors by sally

‘A retired solicitor’s “abrasive” and “frequently puerile” blog posts are entitled to the same level of protection as mainstream journalism, a High Court judge has ruled, striking out a harassment claim brought by a local government officer.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th July 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lammy hits out at “absolute scandal” of judicial diversity – Legal Futures

Posted July 16th, 2021 in barristers, diversity, judiciary, news, solicitors, statistics by tracey

‘It is an “absolute scandal” that just 1% of judges are Black, the shadow Lord Chancellor has declared in the wake of figures that showed a decline in the number of solicitors on the bench too.’

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Legal Futures, 16th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judicial diversity goes into reverse as barristers dominate – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 16th, 2021 in barristers, diversity, judiciary, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics by tracey

‘Latest diversity statistics show once again a judiciary dominated by barristers – with the number of non-barristers in post lower than it was in 2014.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th July 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Extraordinary things are happening” outside of traditional law firms – Legal Futures

Posted July 12th, 2021 in alternative business structures, law firms, legal services, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Professor Richard Susskind’s claim that the current model of alternative legal services providers has not delivered and needs to be rethought is premature, the boss of Radiant Law has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 12th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal boosts claimant PI solicitors with fixed-costs ruling – Legal Futures

Posted July 9th, 2021 in civil procedure rules, costs, news, part 36 offers, personal injuries, solicitors by michael

‘The Court of Appeal has handed a boost to claimant personal injury (PI) solicitors by applying the more generous fixed costs regime for cases where the claimant in a low-value matter dies.’

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Legal Futures, 9th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk