Memory lane

Law Society Gazette 8 July 2013

Grayling to consult again on legal aid

Details of the government’s legal aid reforms appear to be up in the air after the justice secretary announced that a second consultation on the proposals would begin in September. However Chris Grayling denied that a concession on client choice would kill plans for price-competitive tendering.

3 July 2003

NHS seeks to cap negligence payouts

The government this week unveiled long-awaited plans to speed up and streamline clinical negligence claims – and cap the amount of money paid out by the NHS. Solicitors gave cautious backing to a consultation paper issued by the chief medical officer, though they warned that some proposals might undermine the importance of independent legal advice.

7 July 1993

Justice system under scrutiny

The main recommendations of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice include:

• An independent review body should be set up to investigate ‘proactively’ alleged miscarriages of justice and refer them to the Court of Appeal.
• In ‘exceptional’ cases, judges have the power to rule that up to three jury members come from ethnic minority backgrounds.

6 July 1983

Advertisements in non-legal press

The council wish to remind the profession that where a solicitor or his firm advertise for staff in the lay press this may be done either under a box number or the name and address of the firm provided that the general appearance and tenor of the advertisement are such as to advertise the post and not the solicitor or the firm. Care must be taken in an open advertisement not to use words which could be construed as a ‘puff’.

July 1963

Reconstruction of the RCJ

The six new courts that are to be built in the Royal Courts of Justice building will be on the west side and slightly below the level of the Central Hall. It is hoped that the courts will be ready by October 1964.