Solicitor fined for failing to disclose counsel’s opinions to ATE insurer – Litigation Futures

‘An experienced solicitor who failed to disclose two counsel’s opinions on a case to an after-the-event (ATE) insurer, one of them assessing chances of success at less than 50%, has been fined £8,000.’

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Litigation Futures, 27th January 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Transparency failures put three firms in the dock – Legal Futures

‘Law firms in London, Manchester and Bath have become the first sanctioned for failing to publish price and service information, with compliance made a condition of their authorisation.’

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Legal Futures, 15th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal rejects law firm’s second challenge to age discrimination ruling – Legal Futures

Posted January 14th, 2021 in age discrimination, employment tribunals, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘An employment judge has refused a second application from a law firm to reconsider his decision to award an experienced property solicitor damages of £13,200 for age discrimination when he applied for a job with it.’

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Legal Futures, 14th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Criminal solicitors body warns members it is not safe to attend Magistrates’ courts – Local Government Lawyer

‘The London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association (LCCSA) has advised its members that it is not safe to continue to attend Magistrates’ courts.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th January 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

SDT “wrong” to strike out prosecution of Law Society president – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) was wrong to throw out a private prosecution brought by a former client against the current president of the Law Society, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 13th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society: Race inclusion in profession not improving quickly enough – Legal Futures

‘Actions to improve race inclusion in the solicitors’ profession are not delivering change quickly enough, Law Society research has found, highlighting a significant ethnicity pay gap.’

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Legal Futures, 9th December 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Litigant in person threatened opposing lawyers with violence – Legal Futures

‘A High Court judge has expressed concern that a litigant in person has threatened violence against lawyers for the people he is suing while dismissing a bid to disqualify the solicitors from acting.’

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Legal Futures, 8th December 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Commercial Court urges more use of junior advocates – Litigation Futures

‘The Commercial Court and COMBAR are looking at ways to ensure that junior advocates can get more time on their feet, encouraging solicitors and clients to consider their use on discrete issues.’

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Litigation Futures, 4th December 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Increase guideline hourly rates by 35% pending CJC review, judge says – Litigation Futures

Posted December 4th, 2020 in civil procedure rules, costs, fees, judges, news, solicitors by sally

‘The guideline hourly rates (GHR) should be increased to take account of inflation while they are being reviewed, meaning an increase of 35%, the High Court ruled this week.’

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Litigation Futures, 3rd December 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Non-lawyers banned from law firms in misconduct blizzard – Legal Futures

Posted December 1st, 2020 in disciplinary procedures, forgery, law firms, legal executives, news, solicitors, wills by sally

‘Six non-lawyers have been banned from working for law firms for a range of offences, from faking signatures and misusing season ticket loans to fabricating a client’s will to name themselves as a beneficiary.’

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Legal Futures, 1st December 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

International community “will see Halliburton ruling as protecting Bar” – Litigation Futures

‘The Supreme Court’s decision not to remove a QC from an arbitration will reinforce the international perception that members of the English Bar are being protected, a solicitor has claimed.’

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Litigation Futures, 30th November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court refuses to strike out solicitor’s surveillance harassment claim – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has refused to strike out claims of harassment brought by a solicitor and his wife over surveillance of them carried out at the instruction of a former client.’

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Legal Futures, 30th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Cautionary tale of the postman, the application for relief and not enough money? Diriye v Bojaj [2020] EWCA Civ 1400 – Park Square Barristers

‘This credit hire appeal case was heard in the Court Of Appeal on 15 October 2020 with judgment being handed down on 4 November. It was heard by Lord Justice Coulson who gave the leading judgment, Lady Justice Davies and Lady Justice Rose agreeing.’

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Park Square Barristers, 13th November 2020

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Diriye v Bojaj [2020] EWCA Civ 1400: ‘Signed For’ deliveries and deemed service – Littleton Chambers

‘In Diriye v Bojaj [2020] EWCA Civ 1400, the Court of Appeal handed down an important judgment clarifying the scope of the deemed service provisions in CPR 6.26 in the context of signed for deliveries. The Court held that a “Signed For 1st Class” delivery would still be deemed served “on the second day after it was posted” in accordance with CPR 6.26, regardless of the date on which it was actually signed for and received.’

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Littleton Chambers, 11th November 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

A Costly Lesson? A discussion of the decision in Belsner v Cam Legal Services Limited [2020] EWHC 2755 (QB) – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘Lavender J has held that solicitors cannot rely upon CPR 46.9(2) to recover more from a client than could have been recovered between parties in the proceedings, unless they can show that the client provided informed consent. The decision potentially has far-reaching consequences for the use of conditional fee agreements (“CFAs”).’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 20th November 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

‘Signed For 1st Class’ service is first-class post, CA rules – Litigation Futures

Posted November 23rd, 2020 in appeals, civil procedure rules, documents, news, postal service, service, solicitors by sally

‘The Royal Mail service ‘Signed For 1st Class’ is first-class post or equivalent for the purposes of the deemed service provisions of the CPR, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Judge wrong to find ‘subject to contract’ compromise binding – Litigation Futures

Posted November 23rd, 2020 in appeals, contracts, judges, loans, news, solicitors by sally

‘A judge was wrong to rule that solicitors had reached a binding compromise on a piece of litigation, when their correspondence had expressly been “subject to contract”, the Court of Appeal has decided.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal aid lawyers under severe pressure because of Covid – Legal Futures

‘Four-fifths of legal aid lawyers have experienced stress as a result of the pandemic, with more than half of them blaming longer working hours, according to a survey.’

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Legal Futures, 18th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Claimant lawyers urge Lord Chief to step in on whiplash reforms – Legal Futures

‘Claimant personal injury lawyers have turned to the Lord Chief Justice to support an urgent review of the government’s proposed tariff of damages for next April’s whiplash reforms.’

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Legal Futures, 18th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court overturns “flawed” SDT decision to clear solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted November 17th, 2020 in costs, fraud, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, tribunals by sally

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) “fell into serious error” in finding no case to answer against a solicitor accused of making a fraudulent costs claim, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 17th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk