http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/ Breaking news from Law Society Gazette en Thu, 23 May 2013 20:55:53 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/images/styles/ZenWaves/misc/rss.png http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/ http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70283-international-firms-call-off-merger.html Thu, 23 May 2013 11:10:27 GMT International firms Speechly Bircham and Withers today announced that they had dropped merger plans following almost two months of talks. The firms... International firms Speechly Bircham and Withers today announced that they had dropped merger plans following almost two months of talks.
The firms said in March they had entered ‘preliminary discussions’ over creating a joint practice with more than 600 lawyers.
But in a statement released today, the firms said the management and partners had opted against continuing the talks.
‘Both sides have now concluded that a merger would not be in the best interests of both firms and have agreed not to pursue this further,’ said the statement.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70283-international-firms-call-off-merger.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70281-unanimous-profession-votes-training-days-action-protest-over-cuts.html Thu, 23 May 2013 10:20:40 GMT In an unprecedented show of unity by the legal profession hundreds of barristers and solicitors came together yesterday to oppose the government’s... In an unprecedented show of unity by the legal profession hundreds of barristers and solicitors came together yesterday to oppose the government’s proposed criminal legal aid cuts which they said would ‘destroy the fabric of the criminal justice system’.
Over 1,000 attended a London meeting dubbed ‘Justice For Sale’ organised by the Criminal Law Solicitors Association to oppose the planned £220m cuts to criminal legal aid, removal of client choice and introduction of price-competitive tendering (PCT).
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70281-unanimous-profession-votes-training-days-action-protest-over-cuts.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70243-hundreds-attend-legal-aid-protest-rally.html Wed, 22 May 2013 14:30:37 GMT Over 500 lawyers attended a mass rally at parliament today to protest over criminal legal aid reforms which ‘strike a dagger through the British... Over 500 lawyers attended a mass rally at parliament today to protest over criminal legal aid reforms which ‘strike a dagger through the British justice system’.
Gerry Conlon, one of the Guildford Four and Breeda Power, daughter of one of the Birmingham Six, were also present to warn of the threat of miscarriages of justice arising from the plans.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70243-hundreds-attend-legal-aid-protest-rally.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70240-hmrc-proposes-crackdown-llp-disguised-employment.html Wed, 22 May 2013 13:40:10 GMT Some members of limited liability partnership (LLP) firms could face higher tax and national insurance deductions under government proposals for... Some members of limited liability partnership (LLP) firms could face higher tax and national insurance deductions under government proposals for tackling ‘disguised employment’ published this week.
The consultation follows an announcement in the budget that the government would examine removing the presumption of self employment for LLP members.
A consultation document published by HM Revenue & Customs says: ‘There is evidence that LLPs are increasingly being used and marketed’ as ways to avoid taxes.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70240-hmrc-proposes-crackdown-llp-disguised-employment.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70232-small-business-spurning-legal-services-lsb-research.html Wed, 22 May 2013 12:23:08 GMT Just one in eight small businesses will turn to a solicitor to solve a legal problem despite many suffering financial loss as a result. Research... Just one in eight small businesses will turn to a solicitor to solve a legal problem despite many suffering financial loss as a result.
Research published today by the Legal Services Board found only 12% of legal problems resulted in demand for advice from solicitors’ firms. More than of half of respondents opted to handle legal problems on their own.
Just 5% of small businesses had an in-house expert and 8% had legal retainer contracts.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70232-small-business-spurning-legal-services-lsb-research.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70204-pct-will-mean-death-welsh-justice-lawyers-warn.html Wed, 22 May 2013 10:30:51 GMT The government’s plans for price-competitive tendering (PCT) will have a ‘devastating’ impact on firms and chambers in Wales, leaving clients... The government’s plans for price-competitive tendering (PCT) will have a ‘devastating’ impact on firms and chambers in Wales, leaving clients represented by English firms and without Welsh language provision, lawyers have warned.
Their concerns come as solicitors and barristers unite today staging a demonstration in Westminster before attending a mass meeting this afternoon dubbed ‘Justice For Sale’.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70204-pct-will-mean-death-welsh-justice-lawyers-warn.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70167-poor-will-suffer-court-fee-changes-moj-warned.html Tue, 21 May 2013 16:30:03 GMT Government plans to means-test waivers for civil court or tribunal fees could impact the most deprived and vulnerable sections of society, the Civil... Government plans to means-test waivers for civil court or tribunal fees could impact the most deprived and vulnerable sections of society, the Civil Justice Council has warned.
The advisory group of judges, academics and lawyers, chaired by the master of the rolls (pictured), said there were ‘many aspects’ of the Ministry of Justice proposals that caused concern.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70167-poor-will-suffer-court-fee-changes-moj-warned.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70166-welsh-valleys-merger.html Tue, 21 May 2013 16:30:03 GMT South Wales firms Hughes Jenkins and Trevor Griffiths have merged to provide services throughout the South Wales valleys. Nigel Jenkins, managing... South Wales firms Hughes Jenkins and Trevor Griffiths have merged to provide services throughout the South Wales valleys.
Nigel Jenkins, managing director of the newly merged firm, said: ‘Our two firms complement each other well and now enable the combined practice to offer a full and complete range of legal services to all our clients across South Wales.’
‘Poor-quality’ experts face cull
Experts whose evidence is ‘not up to scratch’ will be driven out of the family courts, in a new round of legal aid cuts announced by the Ministry of Justice.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70166-welsh-valleys-merger.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70153-google-asylum-refusals.html Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:57 GMT Home Office officials are resorting to searching the internet for reasons to refuse asylum, entry clearance and leave to remain applications – and... Home Office officials are resorting to searching the internet for reasons to refuse asylum, entry clearance and leave to remain applications – and copying and pasting the resulting text into refusals, the Gazette has been told.
Philip Trott, head of immigration at Bates, Wells Braithwaite, told a Gazette roundtable: ‘I am seeing more and more cases involving refusals on national security cases where… what you see in the refusal box has been extracted from Google and from no other source.’


More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70153-google-asylum-refusals.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70148-fight-pi-changes-says-mass-chair.html Tue, 21 May 2013 12:20:12 GMT A figurehead for the claimant personal injury sector has urged solicitors not to give up opposing further changes to the system. Craig Budsworth,... A figurehead for the claimant personal injury sector has urged solicitors not to give up opposing further changes to the system.
Craig Budsworth, chairman of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS), told today’s Manchester Law Society conference that the fight against increases to the small-claims limit was not over yet.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70148-fight-pi-changes-says-mass-chair.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70134-overwhelming-public-backing-legal-aid-poll.html Tue, 21 May 2013 08:14:25 GMT Government claims that the legal aid system has lost credibility with the public are rebutted by a survey published today showing that seven out of... Government claims that the legal aid system has lost credibility with the public are rebutted by a survey published today showing that seven out of 10 adults fear that criminal legal aid cuts could to innocent people being convicted of crimes they did not commit.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70134-overwhelming-public-backing-legal-aid-poll.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70120-pi-firm-turns-fixed-price-mediation-post-jackson-world.html Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:45 GMT Four out of five commercial disputes are capable of being resolved through fixed-priced mediation, according to a firm unveiling a two-tier service... Four out of five commercial disputes are capable of being resolved through fixed-priced mediation, according to a firm unveiling a two-tier service today.
Manchester firm Pannone says it has responded to the Jackson reforms and the possibility of compulsory mediation with a service that settles disputes without going to court.
The mediation service has two fee levels: £10,000 for complex claims and £5,000 for more straightforward disputes.
Paul Jonson, head of dispute resolution for Pannone, estimated just one in five cases will be too complex to deal with through mediation.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70120-pi-firm-turns-fixed-price-mediation-post-jackson-world.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70119-mass-meeting-barristers-takes-stand-qasa.html Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:45 GMT The largest of the six bar circuits has voted to boycott the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) – which the circuit leader vowed ‘will be... The largest of the six bar circuits has voted to boycott the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) – which the circuit leader vowed ‘will be defeated’.
At a ‘unique’ meeting attended by some 400 barristers in London on Saturday, Sarah Forshaw QC, leader of the South Eastern circuit, also criticised the government’s criminal legal aid reforms, which she said would ‘destroy the independent bar’ and hit ‘middle-class families hardest’.
Forshaw reported that over 1,000 votes were collected in the circuit’s ballot on QASA. Only one barrister said they would sign up.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70119-mass-meeting-barristers-takes-stand-qasa.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70111-7-000-lawyers-hit-streets-free-legal-advice.html Mon, 20 May 2013 13:40:23 GMT The lord chief justice, the president of the Supreme Court, the master of the rolls, the attorney general and the director of public prosecutions... The lord chief justice, the president of the Supreme Court, the master of the rolls, the attorney general and the director of public prosecutions will be leading some 7,000 legal professionals in the largest organised gathering of lawyers in the UK.
The ninth London Legal Walk is expected attract a record 7,000 walkers to raise funds for the London Legal Support Network and show their support for the free legal advice sector.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70111-7-000-lawyers-hit-streets-free-legal-advice.html http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70094-european-data-plan-labelled-demented.html Sun, 19 May 2013 23:58:49 GMT European Commission data protection plans are the biggest threat currently facing the UK economy, a senior Downing Street figure said this week. ... European Commission data protection plans are the biggest threat currently facing the UK economy, a senior Downing Street figure said this week.
Rohan Silva, the senior policy adviser behind the government’s Tech City initiative, described the draft European data protection plan as ‘a completely demented set of regulations’.
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More... ]]> Law Society Gazette admin http://www.traineesolicitor.co.uk/forums/law-society-gazette/70094-european-data-plan-labelled-demented.html