Legal aid solicitors overpaid by £77m – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 1st, 2010 in fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“Legal aid solicitors have been overpaid by almost £77m, according to a report published today by public spending watchdog, the National Audit Office.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 30th November 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor jailed for £250,000 fraud – The Independent

Posted October 22nd, 2010 in client accounts, fraud, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

“A solicitor was jailed for five years today after pleading guilty to fraud offences, which benefited him to the tune of almost £250,000, police said.”

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The Independent, 22nd October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitors sue police for wrongful imprisonment – The Independent

Posted October 20th, 2010 in false imprisonment, news, police, privilege, solicitors by sally

“Three solicitors were today suing police for wrongful imprisonment after falling foul of strict prison regulations.”

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The Independent, 19th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal profession ‘inherently masculine’, says report for LSB – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 11th, 2010 in equality, minorities, news, solicitors, women by sally

“Stereotyping and bias are preventing women and black and minority ethnic (BME) solicitors from furthering their careers, a report funded by the Legal Services Board has found.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High volume of complaints against solicitors as LeO launches – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 7th, 2010 in complaints, legal ombudsman, news, solicitors by sally

“The new Legal Ombudsman handled nearly 500 complaints on its launch day yesterday, taking its first call two minutes after opening at 8.30am while its chief executive was appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judge blocks website’s ‘Solicitors From Hell’ comments about lawyer – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2010 in defamation, injunctions, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A second High Court judge has issued an interim injunction banning the owner of the website Solicitors From Hell from publishing or republishing defamatory material about a lawyer with a London firm.”

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The Independent, 5th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitor wins gagging order in website case – The Independent

Posted September 23rd, 2010 in defamation, injunctions, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A solicitor who has been the subject of allegedly defamatory postings on a website called Solicitors From Hell won an interim injunction today against the man who runs the operation, ordering him to remove the allegations from the site.”

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The Independent, 23rd September 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The changing relationship between solicitors and barristers – Law Society’s Gazette

“In the debate about how the legal regulators should amend practising rules to allow solicitors and barristers to operate in the new structures modelled in the Legal Services Act 2007, some predicted that the reforms could alter forever the identity of lawyers and lead to fusion – ending the distinction between law firms and chambers. That has not happened, but does slow progress to date rule out greater upheaval in future?”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors queue up to sue LSC – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 16th, 2010 in law firms, legal aid, legal services, news, solicitors, tenders by sally

“Pressure is mounting on the Legal Services Commission over its handling of the tender for civil legal aid contracts, as it faces a growing number of judicial review challenges to the process, and talks with the Law Society broke down.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Privilege judgment is an unjustified blow to in-house lawyers – The Guardian

Posted September 15th, 2010 in barristers, EC law, legal profession, news, privilege, solicitors by sally

“The European court of justice’s ruling will prevent in-house lawyers giving frank advice in antitrust cases.”

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The Guardian, 14th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New plans to test would-be lawyers – The Guardian

Posted September 14th, 2010 in examinations, Law Society, news, solicitors by sally

“The Law Society is investigating a legal aptitude test to stem the tide of solicitors entering the profession.”

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The Guardian, 14th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Solicitors under fire from bar over referral fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 9th, 2010 in fees, news, solicitors by sally

“The new Criminal Bar Association chair has criticised solicitors for ‘abusing’ the referral fee arrangements for Crown court advocacy, claiming that solicitors are pocketing money for work done by barristers.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors battle to continue forced marriages work – The Independent

Posted August 16th, 2010 in forced labour, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“A firm of solicitors is fighting to continue its work helping victims of forced marriages after being told it no longer qualifies for legal aid funding.”

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The Independent, 13th August 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Advocates to face tougher regulation under new proposals – Law Society’s Gazette

“Solicitor-advocates and barristers could be forced to work for longer in the lower courts before being granted higher court rights, under proposals put forward by the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG).”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th August 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New proposals for the regulation of lawyers – Bar Standards Board

“The Joint Advocacy Group today (10 August) launches its consultation on proposals for a scheme to quality assure advocates in the criminal courts.”

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Bar Standards Board, 10th August 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Seldon v Clarkson Wright & Jakes (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted July 30th, 2010 in age discrimination, appeals, law firms, law reports, retirement, solicitors by sally

Seldon v Clarkson Wright & Jakes (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills intervening) [2010] EWCA Civ 899; [2010] WLR (D) 206

 “A rule providing for the compulsory retirement at 65 of partners in a firm of solicitors was a proportionate means of achieving legitimate aims relating to recruitment and promotions within the firm.”

WLR Daily, 28th July 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Kent lawyer loses retirement age discrimination case – BBC News

Posted July 29th, 2010 in age discrimination, news, retirement, solicitors by sally

“A Kent lawyer who sued his own firm of solicitors when he was made to stop work at 65 has lost his discrimination case at the Court of Appeal.”

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BBC News, 29th July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitors face tough challenge but consumer benefits win case for change – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2010 in alternative business structures, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“This is not a good time to be a high-street solicitor. Those who relied on property work before the recession have seen conveyancing dry up. Solicitors performing publicly funded work are concerned about Ken Clarke cutting £500m from the £2.1bn that his Ministry of Justice spends on legal aid.”

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Report shows imbalance in ethnic minority SDT referrals – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 20th, 2010 in disciplinary procedures, news, race discrimination, reports, solicitors by sally

“Black and minority ethnic (BME) solicitors are more likely to have their case referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, a report into ‘issues of disproportionality’ in the regulation of solicitors commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority revealed today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 19th July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Quinn Direct Insurance Ltd v The Law Society of England and Wales – WLR Daily

Posted July 16th, 2010 in disclosure, insurance, law reports, privilege, solicitors by sally
“There was no reason to imply into the statutory scheme for the regulation of solicitors any provision or term entitling or obliging the Law Society to produce to a qualifying insurer documents emanating from a firm of solicitors into which it had intervened which were subject to the privilege of a client of the firm. If the client consented or his privilege was impliedly waived by a claim against the solicitor then there was no reason why the Law Society, as it had done, could not produce such documents to the qualifying insurer.”
WLR Daily, 15th July 2010
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.