All Obiter articles – Page 74

  • Morton landscape
    News

    Death becomes her at Old Bailey

    25 September 2017

    Florence Earengey sat in on the Beatrice Pace murder trial when her husband was junior counsel to Norman Birkett, but the first woman to lead in a murder case at the Old Bailey was Venetia Stephenson. She defended William Holmyard, charged with the December 1928 murder of his 72-year-old grandfather. ...

  • Alcatraz pic
    News

    Escape from Alcatraz

    25 September 2017

    We do not often celebrate a solicitor’s escape from jail, but here is an exception. Jonathan Throp (pictured centre), a partner at Pearson Hards Solicitors in New Malden, Surrey, has survived the notorious two-kilometre swim from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco. Throp says: ‘It is challenging partly due to the ...

  • shutterstock 6073699 newspapers
    News

    160 all out for SJ

    25 September 2017

    Obiter is saddened to hear of the demise of Solicitors Journal, the oldest (and for many years the only) publication aimed at our branch of the profession. The final edition appears tomorrow. From its first number in January 1857, the Journal took a broad view of legal interests, for instance ...

  • Coulthard and Hamilton F1
    News

    Aviva slapped down over its need for speed

    2017-09-21T10:17:00Z

    Insurance heavyweight Aviva has never been afraid to put the boot into what it calls the ‘aggressive and sustained’ marketing campaigns of claims companies. So it may offer claimant lawyers a little Schadenfreude to learn the insurer is in hot water itself over one particular bit of advertising. Aviva’s campaign ...

  • Netflix
    News

    A popular cease and desist? Stranger Things have happened

    2017-09-20T12:20:00Z

    Almost by definition, ’cease and desist’ letters from multinational corporations rarely reveal a sense of humour. So kudos to media giant Netflix for its passive aggressive note to the owners of a pop-up bar in Chicago. The bar is a tribute to the Netflix show Stranger Things, a horror drama ...

  • Memory lane
    News

    Memory lane

    18 September 2017

    The Law Society Gazette, 20 September 2007 In-house solicitors reel after privilege ruling In-house lawyers must rethink their strategy for dealing with European Commission dawn raids, the Commerce & Industry Group has warned. It follows the long-awaited decision of the European Court of First Instance in the Akzo Nobel case, ...

  • Yes minister
    News

    Whitehall fudge

    18 September 2017

    Justice ministry’s three-word equivalent to ‘strong and stable’ rolled out by latest incumbents.

  • Ewe38 r
    News

    How clever are your robots?

    18 September 2017

    HSF report does not compute with lawyers’ capacity for detail.

  • letter
    News

    Pen pally

    11 September 2017

    On the topic of satisfied clients, what is the nicest letter you have ever received? Neil McCormick of Somerset gets the ball rolling with a missive (from a well-known actress) saying: ‘Your letter was so clear I can’t believe it was written by a lawyer.’ ‘I have attempted to live ...

  • Morton landscape
    News

    Making short work of words

    11 September 2017

    Legalease has become a second language.

  • Carl baudenbacher
    News

    Brexit problem solved?

    11 September 2017

    Off-the-shelf alternatives promoted.

  • Beatrix potter heelis
    News

    Potter about

    11 September 2017

    Mr Potter’s firm are still practising.

  • Ap86 hj
    News

    Skin-deep tolerance for needle work

    4 September 2017

    Even in these dress-down days, it seems one fashion item is still a no-no for lawyers. A survey on attitudes to visible tattoos in 13 occupations places lawyers fourth from bottom in public acceptability. Apparently, 57% of people are comfortable with tattooed lawyers, compared with 73% who think it OK ...

  • Memory lane
    News

    Memory lane

    4 September 2017

    The Law Society Gazette, 6 September 2007 Non-lawyer partners get 2008 green light Multi-disciplinary partnerships and non-lawyer investment in law firms are set to become a reality next year under government plans for a limited early introduction of alternative business structures, the Gazette can reveal. The government says the changes ...

  • Aldgate Tower, UK branch of the Unified Patent Court
    News

    EU Patent Court on our patch? Let's talk

    4 September 2017

    Among several omissions from last week’s ‘position paper’ setting out how the government plans to resolve disputes with the EU after Brexit is any mention of the Unified Patent Court, an arm of which is now taking physical shape in London. Obiter’s suspicion is that Whitehall does not want to ...

  • Supreme court copy
    News

    Court is worth the trip - shame about the coffee

    4 September 2017

    Whether it’s a hotel or a restaurant, Obiter’s due diligence always includes a glance at TripAdvisor to see if the experience has prompted any stinkers of reviews. So congratulations to the Supreme Court on being awarded the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence. It tweets: We’ve been awarded the @TripAdvisor Certificate ...

  • Hurricane Harvey
    News

    Harvey brings out the best in the bar

    2017-09-01T11:45:00Z

    Colleagues in the US are defying the popular stereotype of the American lawyer by mobilising to provide free help for victims of the Hurricane Harvey disaster. Working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local legal aid offices, the American Bar Association’s young lawyers division has set up helplines ...

  • David Lidington
    News

    Lidington offers nothing of interest

    2017-08-15T09:08:00Z

    Much of the media focus on last week’s MPs’ register of interests was on Theresa May’s shoe shop discount card and Ed Miliband’s £2,500 payment for a presenting stint on BBC Radio 2. For those with an eye on legal matters, the register, which covers interests as at 31 July, ...

  • Louise minchin
    News

    Trust and transparency

    7 August 2017

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority is keen for law firms to be transparent over the fees they charge. In the spirit of openness, therefore, it seemed only right to ask how much the regulator spent on its Trust and the Market conference held in London in June. Louise Minchin ...

  • Morton landscape
    News

    Our new moral entrepreneurs

    7 August 2017

    I wonder if the demonstrations over the Charlie Gard case, the opposition to Martin Moore-Bick in the Grenfell Tower inquiry and the general attack on the judiciary over the Brexit hearings are the start of what sociologists call a ‘symbolic’ crusade – complete with ‘moral entrepreneurs’. In a symbolic crusade ...