Last 3 months headlines – Page 1396

  • News

    Law Society announces Excellence Awards shortlist

    2011-09-19T00:00:00Z

    The Law Society has today unveiled the shortlist of lawyers and firms nominated for this year’s Excellence Awards. The 17 awards recognise outstanding achievement by legal professionals at firms of all sizes across England and Wales, in categories ranging from community investment to client service, with ...

  • News

    LSC ‘performed strongly’ in 2010/11, says MoJ

    2011-09-16T00:00:00Z

    The departing chief executive of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) cut the organisation’s running costs by 11% in 2010/11. Carolyn Downs achieved a £15m underspend on the organisation’s £135m administrative budget, through ‘targeted efficiency savings generated in year against staff, estates and costs’. ...

  • News

    Decisive actions are needed in changing times

    2011-09-16T00:00:00Z

    Despite the delay in the regulation to license alternative business structures and the full implementation of the Legal Services Act, it is imperative that law firms decide now what direction their firm is planning to take. We can categorise the profession simply into three areas; the ...

  • News

    Insolvency

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Company - Voluntary winding up - Liquidator Re Sunwing Vacation Inc and others: Chancery Division (Mr Justice Morgan): 22 June 2011 The Chancery Division of the High Court allowed the ...

  • News

    Discrimination

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Social security - Services for sick and disabled persons - Assessment of needs of sick and disabled persons JG and MB v Lancashire County Council: Administrative Court (Manchester) (Mr Justice Kenneth Parker): 2 September 2011 ...

  • News

    Banking

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Account - Account held by foreign state - Claimant bank operating nine bank accounts held by Libyan government British Arab Commercial Bank plc v National Transitional Council of the State of Libya: Queen's Bench Division, Commercial Court (Mr Justice ...

  • News

    Employment

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Employer’s duty to consult - Failure to consult union - Affected employee seeking protective award against employer Independent Insurance Co Ltd (in provisional liquidation) v Aspinall and another: EAT (Judge Serota QC, Mr D Bleiman, Mr J R Rivers): ...

  • News

    Unless orders - securing a party’s compliance

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Unless orders (otherwise known as Hadkinson orders) were established in Hadkinson v Hadkinson [1952] P 285, CA. Although still relatively uncommon, there has been a series of reported cases where the power has been used by the courts over the last few years. It is an approach to be used ...

  • News

    Arbitration

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Award - Enforcement - Freezing order - Claimant appealing Mobile Telesystems Finance SA v Nomihold Securities Inc: CA (Civ Div) (Lord Justices Ward, Tomlinson): 1 September 2011 The claimant company, ...

  • News

    Immigration

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Asylum seeker - Detention - Claimant being detained prior to deportation R (on the application of S) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: QBD (Admin) (David Elvin QC sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court): ...

  • News

    Environmental considerations are rising up the law firm management agenda

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Environmental issues have steadily climbed up law firms’ agendas. As corporates seek to capitalise on both consumers’ growing awareness of the need to save the planet, and government incentives on the environment, solicitors, as part of their clients’ supply chain, are responding by boosting their own green credentials.

  • News

    Employment

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Determination whether dismissal fair or unfair - Dismissal for misconduct - Employee failing to follow instruction and being dismissed Oudahar v Esporta Group Ltd: EAT (Judge Richardson, Mr D Evans, Mr B Warman): 22 July 2011 ...

  • News

    Criminal procedure

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Unsafe conviction - Bias - Defendant appearing before Crown court - Recorder criticising defence statement R v Malcolm: CA (Crim Div) (Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, Lord Justice Hooper, Mr Justice Blair): 1 September 2011 ...

  • News

    Duty of candour plans 'watered down'

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    The government proposes to introduce a duty of candour as part of its health reforms, requiring hospitals to tell patients when they have made mistakes - a move that follows a long campaign by Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) and other patient safety bodies. While the plans are welcome and ...

  • News

    David Cameron’s comments on human rights were prejudiced

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    In the modern world, the domestic and the international become entwined. News of David Cameron’s assault on the Human Rights Act in the aftermath of the riots was noted around the globe. The Tehran Times quoted the prime minister as saying that ‘human rights and health and safety can interfere ...

  • News

    UK ‘unattractive’ to foreign legal high-flyers

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    The government’s commitment to reducing net migration to the UK will do long-term damage to the competitiveness of UK law firms and inhibit their ability to develop business internationally, the Law Society’s immigration law committee (ILC) has warned. Law firms have told the ILC that, under ...

  • News

    Santander makes Conveyancing Quality Scheme mandatory

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Santander has become the first lender to make membership of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme mandatory for firms applying to be on its conveyancing panel. The bank reopened its panel to new members in August, with the introduction of a £199 application fee. A Santander spokesman confirmed that CQS ...

  • News

    Clarke to promote UK legal services

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke was preparing to update City lawyers on the government’s blueprint for promoting UK legal services abroad as the Gazette went to press. He was expected to reiterate the government’s opposition to European contract law harmonisation and reassure foreign markets that alternative ...

  • News

    Legal aid cuts: the fight goes on

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Campaign groups have vowed to continue their fight against the government’s legal aid cuts, following the rejection of opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill by a committee of MPs. The Public Bill Committee, charged with scrutinising the proposals, last week ...

  • News

    LSC chief’s exit worries lawyer groups

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Lawyers have paid tribute to departing Legal Services Commission (LSC) chief executive Carolyn Downs, following the announcement that she is leaving to take up a senior role in local government. Downs took over as chief executive of the LSC in March 2010 on secondment from the ...