Last 3 months headlines – Page 1246
-
News
Education and training review delayed again
Publication of the Legal Education and Training Review’s (LETR’s) research report, which is expected to recommend the most fundamental reform of legal education in 30 years, has been delayed for a second time with no revised date for when it is likely to be released.
-
News
Parliament rubber-stamps increase to ombudsman’s powers
From 1 February the level of compensation the Legal Ombudsman can award to dissatisfied customers will rise from £30,000 to £50,000. The increase is one of several enhancements to the legal watchdog’s complaints-handling rules agreed by parliament. For the first time the ombudsman will be able ...
-
News
One in five firms likely to seek external investment
A third of small and mid-sized practices are considering merging in the next two or three years and one in five are likely to seek external investment, according to the results of the Law Society Law Management Section’s latest benchmarking survey. The report, published today, revealed ...
-
News
Solicitors warned on property joint ownership
Solicitors should encourage joint property purchasers to put in writing how ownership is apportioned between them to avoid disputes where relationships break down, the Law Society and Land Registry have warned. The two bodies have published a joint practice note in relation to joint property ownership, ...
-
News
Putting it simply: a handbook for LIPs
Last Friday, the judiciary published a special guide for ‘self-represented’ litigants to help them through the judicial process. It was a sign of the times if ever there was.
-
News
Figuring out my future
The wheel has turned full circle. Well, at least it is turning toward the suggestion that a degree might no longer be necessary as an entry into the profession. And what help, one might ask, is a degree in macrame anyway? Thank goodness that back in the bad old days ...
-
News
British Airways employee wins discrimination case
The European Court of Human Rights has today ruled that English courts breached a British woman’s freedom of religion rights to wear a crucifix - a visible symbol of her faith - in the workplace. However, in three other judgments on the right to manifest religion ...
-
News
40 jobs at risk at CMS Cameron McKenna
City firm CMS Cameron McKenna has confirmed it has put 40 roles in the UK at risk of redundancy. The announcement was made today following a review of the domestic business structure. The roles are a mixture of legal, legal support and secretarial, with 26 of ...
-
News
Six more firms win ABS status
Personal injury firms from both the defendant and claimant sectors are among a glut of new alternative business structures announced today. The Solicitors Regulation Authority confirmed the identities of six new licences to take the total it has granted up to 74. Six more are due ...
-
News
MPs consider extradition forum bar
Government plans to amend extradition laws will be included in a wide-ranging justice reform bill, the home secretary told the House of Commons last night. During the second reading of the Crime and Courts Bill, Theresa May said the bill would propose amending the Extradition ...
-
News
Fraudsters - an insider story?
Lawyers should be aware of the dangers of insider fraud when advising their clients, as the damage can be catastrophic for a business - no business is immune from the danger, not even law firms themselves.
-
News
Training solicitors – a qualified success
Tucked away in the new year’s press was an announcement of an apprenticeship route to qualification as a solicitor. I wondered why and when the profession abandoned the five-year article route. Over the years there have been, as there is now, a number of ...
-
News
High street super-survey paints upbeat picture
Business has increased or remained unchanged for nearly 60% of law firms over the past three years, despite the challenging economy and changing legal market, results of a unique joint survey reveal today. However nearly one-third of the 31% of participating firms undertaking legal aid said ...
-
News
Call for criminal sanctions against care home owners
A former health minister today called for legislation to hold corporations criminally accountable for abuse and neglect in care homes. In a 10-minute rule motion, Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow proposed a new offence of corporate neglect where senior management allowed abuse to occur. ...
-
News
Society warns against Euro justice opt-out
Opting out of European Union law-and-order measures could jeopardise the UK’s ability to fight cross-border crime, the Law Society has warned. Its warning comes as a House of Lords Committee began taking evidence on the opt-out, which is likely to be announced by the government ...
-
News
Betfair founder backs new ABS Brilliant Law
A team of non-solicitors with financial support from the founder of betting exchange website Betfair has announced its arrival into the legal market. Former Minster Law chief executive Matthew Briggs (pictured) and one-time BSkyB director Jeremy Fenn will be joint managers of Leeds-based Brilliant Law. ...
-
News
Lawyers can access unredacted records
In a groundbreaking Court of Appeal case, a distinguished panel of appeal judges (Lord Justices Kay and Munby) decided that the practice of redacting social care records was not usually necessary where litigation under civil procedure rules was being conducted. The judgment departed from reasoning in both lower courts, in ...
-
News
Brand lessons from Claridge’s
If you watched the recent series on BBC2, Inside Claridge’s, you may have asked yourself how they can possibly charge several thousand pounds for one night of accommodation. The Claridge’s brand has been built over many years on a philosophy of putting the guest first and providing exceptional service.
-
News
Society critical of employee shareholder contracts
The government’s proposals for employee shareholder contracts will only add to red tape for small businesses and create confusion about workers’ rights, the Law Society has warned. The plans, contained in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, are currently before the House of Lords having been passed ...
-
News
Compensation fund review to take two years
A full-scale review of the compensation fund will take two years to complete, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed. Regulators want to weigh up whether existing arrangements provide effective protection for consumers of legal services, as well as address any solicitors’ concerns about the scheme. ...