All articles by John Hyde – Page 319
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News
Fast-track for ‘lower-risk’ ABS applications
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has announced it will fast-track lower-risk applications for an alternative business structure licence. The authority has responded to criticism that the authorisation process takes too long with new guidance and a fresh approach to existing law firms. The ...
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News
Osborne imposes further £142m of cuts on MoJ
Chancellor George Osborne today imposed a further £142m of cuts on the Ministry of Justice, which will have to be implemented before the 2015 general election. The MoJ is one of the government departments required by Osborne’s budget to reduce its spending by 1% for the ...
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News
MPs set to shed light on whiplash
MPs will answer whether the government is right to describe the UK as the ‘whiplash capital of the world’ in a definitive report on motor claims. The Commons Transport Select Committee today outlined the terms of reference for its inquiry into whiplash and called for evidence ...
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News
Mid Staffs negligence ‘explosion’ predicted
NHS hospitals must brace themselves for an ‘explosion’ in medical negligence claims in the aftermath of the report into the Mid Staffordshire scandal, a leading lawyer in the sector has said. Tim Gorman, partner at clinical negligence firm Axiclaim, said last month’s publication of the Francis ...
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News
Independent review of ‘pre-pack’ deals
The government has announced an independent review of the controversial insolvency vehicle through which DWF recently acquired the collapsed Cobbetts while leaving creditors likely to recoup little or nothing of what they are owed. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said the review into ...
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News
Financial crisis will cost everyone in the end
Journalists are far too willing to bandy the term ‘crisis’ around, using it to label everything from a few cancelled trains to an Arsenal defeat. But how else to describe the impending financial troubles about to hit the legal profession? I say profession quite deliberately. So ...
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News
Society unveils consulting service
The Law Society today unveiled a new consulting service for members to support work to meet their regulatory requirements. The service aims to provide clarity and reassurance to law firms and in particular to offer guidance to newly-appointed compliance officers. ...
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News
SRA commits millions to interventions
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has already used 10% of its entire annual budget intervening in failed firms in 2013, the organisation revealed today.
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News
Judge warns claimant firm on costs ‘manipulation’
A judge has warned law firms that courts will not tolerate attempts to change court orders for their own advantage. Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart told claimant firm Rosling King last week that it was verging on ‘contumelious’ [insulting] to produce a draft that its clients would prefer ...
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News
UK is best for litigation, says justice secretary
Justice secretary Chris Grayling has sent a message to the world that the UK is cheaper, quicker and more reliable for litigation disputes. Grayling gave a keynote speech at the UK headquarters of Allen & Overy yesterday to stress his commitment to exporting legal services abroad. ...
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News
No ‘stay of execution’ from banks for PI firms
Personal injury firms will struggle to convince banks that they are viable when fees are slashed next month, an insolvency expert has warned. Practices across the country have begun making redundancies ahead of fixed recoverable costs being cut by 60% at the end of April, the ...
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News
Half of all tribunal fines remain unpaid
Nearly half of the solicitors fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in recent years have avoided paying those fines in full, figures obtained by the Gazette reveal. Of 579 cases since 2008 in which such a penalty was imposed, the fine has yet to be ...
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News
SRA brings 650 actions for COLP and COFA failures
Enforcement action has started against almost 650 solicitors or firms that failed to complete their compliance officer nominations properly, the Solicitors Regulation Authority revealed today. Antony Townsend, chief executive of the SRA, said action was necessary after a ‘concerning and disappointing’ level of non-co-operation and ...
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News
250 jobs go as Lawyers2you becomes latest PI casualty
All 250 solicitors and employees of Midlands firm Blakemores, owner of the consumer brand Lawyers2you, were today told to clear their desks and go home after an intervention by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The innovative and fast-growing firm appears to be the latest casualty of a ...
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News
Virtual firm takes ABS total past 100
A virtual law firm founded by the president of the Law Society has today been granted a licence to become an alternative business structure. Scott-Moncrieff & Associates (SCOMO), run by Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, was added to the list of more than 100 ABSs licensed by the Solicitors ...
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News
Why is government so keen to kill the PI sector?
When the Ford Transit plant in Southampton was at risk of closure last year, with 500 jobs under threat, David Cameron’s government offered a £10m grant. Yet when it comes to the personal injury sector, Cameron has not just stood aside and let it happen, he’s ...
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News
Scottish firm fails
Scottish commercial firm Semple Fraser has announced it intends to appoint administrators. In a statement released today, the firm said it had been ‘severely affected’ by the downturn and contraction in parts of the corporate, property and construction sectors. It added that ...
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News
High Court throws out RTA fees cut challenge
The High Court today threw out a challenge to a new fees regime expected to cost personal injury firms £200m a year. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the Motor Accident Solicitors Society were challenging a decision by the Ministry of Justice to cut ...
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News
Bar calls on the LSB to tighten its belt
The Bar Council has publicly attacked the Legal Services Board for appearing immune from financial pressures affecting the legal profession and government departments. In a response to the LSB’s business plan for 2013/14, the bar body said it had concerns over the costs and scope of ...
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News
Negligence claim fears over ATE insurance
Solicitors have been warned they could face professional negligence claims if their client cannot secure after-the-event insurance before civil litigation reforms come in to force on 1 April. ATE insurers have told the Gazette they have been ‘inundated’ with law firms trying to secure cover while ...