Last 3 months headlines – Page 1124
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Budget fallout: running into a brick wall
Watching the fallout from every budget is like being transported into the Truman Show. Everyone says the same thing, moves in the same direction and ends up just where they started. Perhaps George Osborne’s tortured economic recovery will end, like Truman, running into a brick wall ...
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Call to end ‘mock trials’ in public inquiries
The ‘litigation model’ of public inquiries should be reformed to embrace alternative methods of dialogue and decision-making, according to a report published by the chief executive of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). The report’s author, CEDR chief executive Karl Mackie, said that public inquiries ...
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Separate representation vote condemned
The Council of Mortgage Lenders today accused Scottish solicitors of protectionism after they voted for separate representation for buyers and lenders in all conveyancing transactions. CML director general Paul Smee said: ‘It is disappointing that a measure which is so blatantly against consumer interests and ...
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Cold-calling prosecutions planned
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is ready to prosecute up to a dozen more companies who carry out cold-calling and send spam text messages. This week the ICO fined a second company for unlawful marketing techniques to attract personal injury and payment protection insurance claimants. ...
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Risk and Compliance conference
The Law Society has unveiled a new consulting service to help members meet their regulatory obligations. Launched at the Society’s annual Risk and Compliance conference, the service aims to provide clarity and reassurance to law firms, in particular through guidance to newly appointed compliance officers. ...
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Legal education: bespoke courses
News that Oxford Brookes University is discontinuing its legal practice course (LPC) because a drop in applications means it is no longer viable has sent a shock wave through the legal education market, as we await publication of the much-anticipated Legal Education and Training Review (LETR).
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Human rights
Human Rights – Freedom of expression – Protesters The wife and children of Omar Othman v The English National Resistance and others: Queen's Bench Division: 25 February 2013 The Queen's ...
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History book; care home fees; charging charities
Thursday marks a key milestone in the history of local government lawyers. John Emms (former solicitor to the council at Kirklees MBC) will publish his book Local Lawyers: Public Practice. As Solicitors in Local Government merges with its chief officer counterpart, the Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors, the book ...
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Testamentary capacity
In Hawes v Burgess [2013] EWCA Civ 74, the Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge’s finding that the deceased’s last will (which cut out her son) was invalid and that her earlier will (leaving everything equally to her three children) therefore remained unrevoked.
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Legal help must be restored to all private law children disputes
The result of enormous effort and faith, The Children Act 1991 enshrined the rights of children in family law as paramount. Yet the regulations that will come into effect on 8 April will seriously undermine all the good work and progress made to date. For the ...
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Stolen identity
We have encountered a problem where this firm’s identity is being used by a potential fraudster. On one day in January, we were contacted by seven people/firms in Canada who received a letter from a potential fraudster, holding himself out as being an attorney at this firm, using this firm’s ...
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Swings and roundabouts
Here we go again. In classic Daily Mail-style, out come the stories – which we are expected to treat as typical – of solicitors charging £4,000 for photocopying or overcharging by £30,000. Just like the single mother with 13 children.
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Fairness plea
Am I the only solicitor worried about the future of criminal litigation in this country? I see fewer young solicitors becoming involved in criminal work. The reasons why would seem to be simple. The remuneration and conditions of practice cannot attract new people.
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Foreign territory
Martin Maloney responds to my response to his original letter about assumptions of guilt within criminal law procedure. In essence, Mr Maloney repeats his previous assertions which I have already answered; basically that what distinguishes us from others is that we are lawyers and that this is a legal journal. ...
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What's your firm called?
Anita Scott in Scarborough writes to wish London firms Teacher Stern and Butcher Burns success in their merger. ‘I was a little disappointed, however, that they did not adopt the name Stern Teacher Burns Butcher.’ With mergers increasingly à la mode, Obiter hopes to see ...
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Budsworth gears up for laughs
Obiter was reminded of Roald Dahl’s The Witches last week, when a small boy is led into a room full of snarling crones and turned into a mouse. Of course no such fate awaited the Motor Accidents Solicitors Society chairman Craig Budsworth as he stepped ...
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Browbeaten spouses
The marital coercion defence raised by Vicky Pryce has had a long if intermittent history. It stemmed from the time when, because they often could not read and write, women were denied the benefit of clergy at assizes and so could not avoid punishment.
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Pedal power propels lawyers to Paris
So, what did you do in February? Lawyers at JD Spicer Zeb Solicitors cycled from London to Paris to raise funds for the Free Representation Unit. Simon Maughan and Michael Situ led the ride, which covered over 200 miles in three days and has so far raised close to £2,000. ...
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Curse of the Tome Raiders
Help for newly ensconced COLPs and COFAs was at hand this week at franchise network HighStreetLawyer.com’s conference at Chancery Lane. One top tip came from risk manager PNCR Legal’s Tim Prior, who noted that many COLPs and COFAs are still struggling with keeping systems and policies up to date. ...