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.

Solicitors vie for judicial office – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 8th, 2010 in judicial appointments commission, news, solicitors by sally

“The number of applications from solicitors for the role of civil district judge almost doubled in the last selection round, according to data published by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) last week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 8th July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Neuberger report: more solicitor judges wanted – The Lawyer

Posted June 21st, 2010 in judiciary, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“The Law Society has long stated its belief that the judiciary should better reflect the diversity of the society it serves rather than being the preserve of the white, heterosexual, Oxbridge-­educated, male barrister.”

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The Lawyer, 21st June 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

EAT upholds victimisation claim – Law Society’s Gazette

“A firm that ‘gratuitously’ mentioned a solicitor’s previous discrimination claim against it when providing an employment reference to another firm has lost an appeal in the Employment Appeal Tribunal.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th June 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyer wins tribunal appeal over withdrawal of job offer – Law Society’s Gazette

“A woman lawyer has won her appeal against an employment tribunal ruling that disability discrimination did not lie behind a major law firm’s decision to withdraw a job offer.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th June 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB chair: ‘merge solicitors’ and barristers’ training courses’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 17th, 2010 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“The chair of the bar’s regulator has called for a radical overhaul of legal professional education by merging the solicitors’ and barristers’ courses, to give young people longer to decide which branch of the profession they want to join.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th June 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Baby P: Government lawyer apologises for handling of Sharon Shoesmith court case – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 17th, 2010 in government departments, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“The head of the Government’s legal team has apologised for failings in the preparation of a high-profile court case involving Sharon Shoesmith, the council chief blamed for the Baby P scandal.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th June 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar must step up competition with solicitors, chairman warns – Law Society’s Gazette

“The bar must embrace direct access to the public to compete in a system that has been ‘calibrated and designed to hand the entire legal aid pot to solicitors’, the Bar Council chairman said last week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 14th June 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Deregulating the law profession – The Guardian

Posted June 10th, 2010 in barristers, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“A conference on the future of the bar in England and Wales needs to ensure that those working in law can keep their independence.”

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The Guardian, 10th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Race bias claim over insurance for minority ethnic lawyers – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2010 in insurance, news, race discrimination, solicitors by sally

“Black and minority ethnic lawyers are being refused compulsory insurance in what they describe as blatant race discrimination in the legal profession.”

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The Guardian, 6th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pair guilty of killing Leicester solicitor Vina Patel – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2010 in murder, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

“A solicitor has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years for hiring a hitman to murder his business partner.”

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BBC News, 28th May 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sex discrimination victory for man – The Independent

“A male lawyer was wrongfully sacked because bosses were worried they would be sued if they fired his female counterpart while she was on maternity leave, it emerged yesterday.”

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The Independent, 19th May 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Risk of lawyer uninsurability ahead of SRA reform – The Lawyer

Posted May 10th, 2010 in insurance, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

“Lawyers could become an uninsurable risk if the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) fails to reform the professional indemnity (PI) insurance regulations.”

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The Lawyer, 10th May 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Barristers could have right to sue solicitors for unpaid fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 6th, 2010 in barristers, contracts, fees, Law Society, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“Barristers would be able to sue solicitors for unpaid fees under proposals published by the Bar Council last week to put the relationship between the two professions on a more commercial footing.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk