Last 3 months headlines – Page 1196
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Flexible working needs rebrand, says president
The president of the Law Society will today call for a rethink of flexible working to make law firms and other businesses more attractive to women - and men. Delivering the keynote speech at an International Women's Day event to a London audience of lawyers, ...
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‘Litigant in person’ back as judges U-turn on terminology
Unrepresented litigants should be referred to as ‘litigants in person’ (LiPs) rather than ‘self-represented litigants’ in all criminal, family and civil courts, the master of the rolls has directed in practice guidance. Lord Dyson’s decision changes a recommendation by the Civil Justice Council last November suggesting ...
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Employment tribunal
Procedure – Hearing – Postponement O'Cathail v Transport for London: Court of Appeal, Civil Division: 29 January 2013 The Court of Appeal, Civil Division, in allowing the employer's appeal, held ...
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Common law
Water and watercourses – Riparian Right – Extent Moore v British Waterways Board: Court of Appeal, Civil Division: 14 February 2013 The Court of Appeal, Civil Division, held that there ...
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Judicial review
Claimant being convicted of drug-trafficking offences in Bali and being sentenced to death R (on the application of Sandiford) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Queen's Bench Division, Divisional Court: 4 February 2013 ...
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Trademarks and the ‘own name’ defence
In 2008, the High Court granted an injunction prohibiting the use of the name ‘Cipriani’ for a restaurant in London ([2008] EWHC 3032 (Ch)). This was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal ([2010] EWCA Civ 110). The parties have recently returned to court to address claims for breach of ...
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Aviva’s Dickensian justice
Aviva’s self-serving proposal that accident victims should go direct to the at-fault insurer without legal representation calls to mind memorable scenes from Oliver Twist.
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Note of realism on costs
For many years, insurers have issued press release after press release heaping the blame for rising motor insurance premiums on personal injury solicitors. At the same time, they have ignored their own dubious practices, which are now the subject of a referral to the Competition Commission. ...
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Grim legacy of funding cuts
Times of austerity provide good opportunities for governments to chip away at democratic rights. So workers’ rights are being cut back, with two years before they accrue unfair dismissal rights and fees being introduced which most employees (after being sacked) will be unable to afford. ...
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Don’t scoff at criminal law
Martin Maloney (letters, 18 February) considers extraordinary the proposition that ‘no one is a criminal until a court says so’. But within court proceedings, the proposition is a true one. To Mr Maloney it is ‘just the kind of nonsense that gets parroted when lawyers.... ...
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EU-US deal stirs lawyers’ primal instincts
In his recent state of the union address, president Obama said: ‘And tonight, I’m announcing that we will launch talks on a comprehensive transatlantic trade and investment partnership with the UK, because trade that is fair and free across the Atlantic supports millions of good-paying American jobs.’ Except that he ...
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Fresh controversy over Cobbetts deal
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has rebuffed calls to review its approach to pre-pack sales, amid renewed controversy over the buyout of high-profile law firm casualty Cobbetts by DWF. Last Wednesday, the Gazette exclusively revealed that Cobbetts’ unsecured creditors are set to recoup just 2p in ...
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Knives smuggled into courtrooms
Knives were smuggled past security and into courtrooms on 10 separate occasions in the space of nine months last year, the Gazette has discovered. A freedom of information request has uncovered security breaches in courts across England and Wales between April and December 2012. ...
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Sixty suitors for troubled Yorkshire firm Atteys
Yorkshire firm Atteys – which last week announced it had given notice of intention to appoint administrators – is to be broken up and sold, the Gazette has learned. Interim chief operating officer Mark Feeney said more than 60 local firms have expressed an interest in ...
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MP accuses QCs on tax avoidance
MPs have turned their attention to lawyers who advise promoters of tax avoidance schemes. In a report examining marketed tax avoidance schemes, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) identifies ‘leading lawyers’, along with banks and accountancy firms, as supporting and advising on tax avoidance ...
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Lawyer jailed for £20m sham marriage scam
A London solicitor has been jailed for 10 years for running a £20m sham marriage scam. Tevfick Souleiman (pictured), partner at north London firm Souleiman GA Solicitors, and immigration advisers Cenk Guclu and Furrah Kosimov, were found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of conspiracy to ...
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IP ‘conflict of interest’ warning
Intellectual property lawyers have been warned to exercise care when claiming ownership of intellectual property from clients in settlement of outstanding bills. A practice note issued by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board, which regulates patent and trademark attorneys, warns practitioners to ensure that exercising a lien over IP in settlement ...
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Personal devices are weakest security link
The largest international law firms are among the UK practices that have a poor grip on the security of their data, according to research conducted among 200 firms. The widespread use of personal devices is the weak link in security, with an overwhelming majority of professionals ...
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New order at Barclays
In the world of banking and financial services, 1999 was another age. Back in the day, as bankers and regulators grizzled with age may one day recall, international finance was able to weather storms such as the Asian financial crisis, a fall in confidence in Russian investments, and a burst ...
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Nature of Cobbetts deal does raise wider questions
The SRA is not alone in possessing a focus and principles that originated in the good times. Remember when the Financial Services Authority was keen not to hamper financial ‘creativity’?