Last 3 months headlines – Page 1398
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Dishonest dealings and tax
I read an article in a Sunday newspaper entitled ‘Self-employed? Make extra money from the VAT rise’. I am perplexed because, while I understand that in the current economic climate it is good to have incentives for smaller businesses, this incentive appears to be, prima facie, dishonest.
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The current practice of investigating deaths must be challenged
In 2009, 22% of all deaths in England and Wales underwent autopsy on the instruction of coroners – one of the highest rates of medico-legal autopsy in the world. The fundamental review of death certification and investigation reported that the autopsy rate was between double and triple the rates of ...
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Speaking out on immigration policy
It emerged this week that the UK Border Agency has lost track of 60,000 asylum seekers. On past form, rather than address failings at UKBA directly, the Home Office will carry on trying to look tough on asylum seekers and illegal immigration by announcing stricter rules for immigrants who require ...
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Premature call on RTA claims process
I write to comment on the item: ‘FOIL president: cut claimant lawyer fees’
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Doing a disservice
Mr Digby-Bell is entitled to his opinions, which he is rarely slow to publicise. In doing so in his letter without a word in advance or participation in the council’s debates, he belittles the considerable efforts of the Law Society and its president in fighting for access to justice and ...
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'Wild west' lawyers
The alleged futility of the SRA’s ‘consultation’ made the letters page . This futility extends to the Legal Ombudsman too. On that date I attended a meeting with a diverse group of people with an interest in whether or not solicitors should be named when a ...
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Why not run a separate compensation fund for ABSs?
With alternative business structures due in 2011, the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority’s fitness-to-own test is likely to be tested. The attraction of law firms and client account to organised criminals cannot be underestimated.
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Burger deal, fashion buy, road-building initiative, new listing
Burger buy: Reading firm Pitmans advised restaurant operator Zing Leisure on acquiring three Burger King restaurants in London for an undisclosed sum. Burger King was advised by its in-house team.
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It’s not all about the marketing
Here we are then, 2011, the year of the alternative business structure. If you don’t believe that implementation of the Legal Services Act will have a major impact on the legal market then don’t bother reading on, as nothing I can say will change your mind and neither will ...
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‘Not just peanuts’ campaign to support legal advice charities
The Access to Justice Foundation will today launch a national campaign encouraging law firms to release unclaimed money from their client accounts to help support free legal assistance in their local community. The charity’s ‘It's Not Just Peanuts’ campaign is targeting amounts of less than ...
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Law Commission consults on pre-nuptial agreements
The Law Commission has today published a consultation on the future of pre-nuptial agreements, seeking views on whether couples should be able to make binding agreements governing financial arrangements if their relationships end. The paper puts forward a range of options for reforming the law of ...
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Jones day to open three Saudi offices in 2011
US firm Jones Day will open three associate offices in Saudi Arabia this year, it announced today. An office in Riyadh has already been established, and further outposts in Jeddah and Al-Khobar will be set up later this year in association with Saudi firm Al Sulaim ...
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Thompsons presses for greater focus on rehabilitation
National personal injury firm Thompsons has called on government ministers to put rehabilitation for injury victims at the heart of its review of civil justice, after research into client attitudes showed overwhelming support for the benefits of rehabilitation. According to the firm, in a survey of ...
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Expertise, experience and efficiency – the outsourcing dilemma
A strong feature of 2010 was the growing debate about legal process outsourcing (LPO), offshoring and commoditising. To some practitioners this is anathema: a deskilling and cheapening of the practice of law. Others see it, more positively, as a separation of the repetitive, low value ...
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Forum shopping for a lawyer’s title is alive and well
In this New Year, there is a new name to be added to the roll call of names that have contributed to the development of the practice of law in Europe, by bringing a case to the European Court of Justice. Added to those on the list such as Gebhard ...
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Support grows for regulation of will-writing
A call for evidence on whether will-writing should become a regulated activity has received a huge response from the profession and public, with consumer bodies in favour of regulation. The Legal Services Board Consumer Panel has received 380 case studies from lawyers, members of the public ...
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Employment lawyers are under attack
It is open season on employment tribunals and the ‘parasitical creatures’ (aka employment lawyers) that argue their clients’ cases before them. Maybe it is time that the profession got its public relations act together and took on its detractors at their own game.
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Family procedure rules published
The Ministry of Justice has this week published the long-awaited Family Procedure Rules 2010, which will come into force on 6 April 2011. The new code provides a single set of rules for proceedings in the magistrates’ court, county court and High Court, along the model ...
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Control orders ‘infringe fundamental principles’
Control orders infringe the most fundamental principles of due process, and should be replaced with surveillance and criminal trial, the Law Society has urged. Control orders are an anti-terrorism power that allows curfews of up to 16 hours a day, electronic tagging, regular home searches and ...
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Can cuts to legal aid still be halted?
Next week sees the launch in the House of Commons of Justice for All, a broad coalition of over 1,000 legal and advice groups, politicians, trade unions, community groups and members of the public. It has been set up in response to the government’s proposed ...