Complaints about solicitors jump 13 per cent in four years – Daily Telegraph
“Complaints about solicitors have surged 13 per cent in just four years to more than 19,000, figures show.”
Daily Telegraph, 9th July 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Category: solicitors
Defame academy: The libel specialists – The Independent
“When legal letters threatening action for defamation arrive in an editor’s in-tray, the names of certain lawyers can induce a queasy feeling. Robert Verkaik, our Law Editor, profiles the libel specialists.”
The Independent, 7th July 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Solicitors oppose complaint plans – BBC News
“Many solicitors in England and Wales are opposing plans to publish details of complaints brought against them by their clients, a consultation suggests.”
BBC News, 3rd July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Net-surfing lawyers warned of compliance risk – Law Society’s Gazette
“Solicitors risk breaching conduct rules and could face insurance claims if they use non-specialist online sources for legal research, a leading QC solicitor has warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 12th June 2008
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Kilby v Gawith – Times Law Reports
Court of Appeal
“In costs-only proceedings following the out-of-court settlement of a small-value road traffic claim, the court had no discretion to disallow the successful claimant a success fee provided for in the conditional fee agreement with her solicitors.”
The Times, 13th June 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Online legal scheme threatens high street – The Lawyer
“Hugh James, Nelsons and Pannone have signed up to a post-Legal Services Act internet trading scheme called MyLawyer.co.uk that could challenge the position of the high street solicitor.”
The Lawyer, 9th June 2008
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Solicitor Jim Beresford makes £30m from sick miners’ compensation scheme – The Times
“A solicitor who specialises in claiming compensation for sick coalminers has banked a personal profit of more than £30 million from the government-funded scheme.”
The Times, 9th June 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Law Society and LSC respond to LSCC fine – Law Society
“The Law Society and the Legal Complaints Service (LCS) have reacted to news that Legal Services Complaints Commissioner Zahida Manzoor is to levy a fine of £275,000 in relation to its complaints handling plan for 2008/09.”
Law Society, 3rd June 2008
Source: www.lawsociety.org.uk
LawSoc fined again for ‘inadequate’ complaints plan – Legal Week
“The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner has imposed a £275,000 penalty on the Law Society after deeming its complaints-handling plan for the year ahead inadequate.”
Legal Week, 3rd June 2008
Source: www.legalweek.com
Law Society and AWS launch two-year equal pay campaign – Legal Week
“The Law Society and the Association of Women Solicitors (AWS) are launching an equal pay campaign, after fresh research revealed significant salary inequalities within the profession.”
Legal Week, 29th May 2008
Source: www.legalweek.com
Solicitor accuses regulator of racial bias in £10m claim – The Guardian
“An Iranian-born solicitor has launched an unprecedented £10m claim against the Law Society and the solicitors’ regulatory body for racial and religious discrimination, harassment and victimisation.”
The Guardian, 26th May 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Called into battle – The Guardian
“Yvonne Hossack has become a hate figure for the establishment, but the fearless solicitor risking bankruptcy to challenge cuts and closure of care services tells David Brindle how she is driven on by ‘a more ancient set of laws’.”
The Guardian, 21st May 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Whitehead and Another v Hibbert Pownall & Newton (a Firm) – Times Law Reports
Whitehead and Another v Hibbert Pownall & Newton (a Firm)
Court of Appeal
“Where solicitors had negligently failed to prosecute a claim for damages for clinical negligence on behalf of a mother in respect of future losses for a wrongful birth, those losses were curtailed by the death of the mother; the solicitors were not liable in a subsequent claim for professional negligence brought on behalf of the mother’s estate for what amounted to a windfall in that, had her claim been brought to a successful conclusion before her death, the recoverable damages would have not have been curtailed by her death but would have extended to cover the costs of care into the future.”
The Times, 14th May 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Non-partner solicitors could face insurance bill – Law Society’s Gazette
“A group of solicitors who were employed by a firm which has since gone into liquidation could find themselves being pursued for a contribution towards an unpaid insurance premium of £834,000 – despite the fact that they were not partners in the firm.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 10th April 2008
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Society hails £55m legal aid watershed – Law Society’s Gazette
“The Law Society scored a coup for civil legal aid practitioners last week by securing a package worth £55 million from the government in return for dropping its legal action against the Legal Services Commission (LSC).”
Law Society’s Gazette, 10th April 2008
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
LSC and Law Society strike up unified legal aid contract – Legal Week
“The Law Society has resolved a long-running dispute with the Legal Services Commission (LSC) over the new unified contract for legal aid, after the LSC dropped a threat to usher in an entirely new contract.”
Legal Week, 10th April 2008
Source: www.legalweek.com
Whitehead and another v Hibbert Pownall & Newton ( a firm) – WLR Daily
Whitehead and another v Hibbert Pownall & Newton ( a firm); [2008] WLR (D) 96
“Solicitors who had negligently failed to prosecute a claim for damages for clinical negligence, including a claim for future loss, with the result that the claim had been set down at the date of the original claimant’s death were not liable for failing to secure for the deceased’s estate what, on the full facts, would have amounted a an uncovenanted windfall. The estate, standing in the deceased’s shoes, could not recover sums referable to a period after her death since she would only have been entitled to recover losses incurred or to be incurred in her lifetime.”
WLR Daily, 7th April 2008
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
Lawyer took paralysed client’s £1.2m payout – The Times
“A solicitor who stole £1.25 million from a client left paralysed by a traffic accident was jailed yesterday for ten years for what the judge described as the ‘very worst breach of trust for a professional man’.”
The Times, 8th April 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
SRA begins review into ‘racially biased’ investigations – Legal Week
“The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has formally kicked off its review into the disproportionate number of lawyers from black and ethnic minorities who are subject to SRA investigation, by selecting a working party and setting out the terms of its review.”
Legal Week, 20th March 2008
Source: www.legalweek.com
Law Society backs in-house lawyers in landmark privilege case – The Times
“The Law Society of England and Wales has formally applied for permission to intervene in a closely-watched European case that has threatened the ability of in-house lawyers to claim professional privilege.”
The Times, 10th March 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
