Law Society Gazette 4 August 2014

Starmer to stand

Keir Starmer QC, former director of public prosecutions and human rights barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, is to seek selection as the Labour candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in London. Starmer, 51, stepped down as DPP in November 2013.

15 July 2004

Cash for DCA but legal aid slashed

The Department for Constitutional Affairs has been promised more cash in chancellor Gordon Brown’s spending review but legal aid solicitors are predicting hard times after the department agreed to return the favour by slashing £50m a year off legal aid.

13 July 1994

Bar shuns direct access initiative

Barristers will not have direct access to clients in the near future, following a snap Bar Council vote at the weekend backing the current referral system. A resolution prohibiting direct access was overwhelmingly accepted after a lively debate by a margin of 49 to three.

17 July 1974

Postal crisis in London W1

Complaining of the situation to the Post Office Users National Council, the Law Society has written the following letter: ‘There are approximately 175 firms of solicitors practising in the W1 postal district. For them the virtual breakdown in the postal service there is a matter of the gravest consequence. The fact that letters posted in that district are currently taking seven to 10 days to arrive is necessarily having an extremely adverse effect on the relationship between those firms and their clients.’

August 1964

Origins of the species

Research on the admission lists for 1961, 1962 and 1963 finds that, of the 2,242 solicitors admitted, almost exactly 5 per cent were women. In relation to their geographical origins, 18% came from homes in London. Of those who had already qualified overseas, the highest proportion, 29%, came from Ceylon and the next highest, 17%, from Jamaica.

 

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