THE Law Society vice president, Phillip Sycamore, has announced he will stand for the presidency in the summer, and has asked rival candidate Robert Sayer to be a running mate. Sayer, who was stunned by the offer to stand as Sycamore’s deputy vice president, has said he will need a lot of convincing to accept […]
Reid v Local Sunday Newspaper (not before 10 March); Rispoli v Jenkinson and ors (not before 28 April); Trigwell and ors v Colliver (not before 28 April 1997); Wills v Brooksbank (not before 10 March); Harris v Three Valleys Water (not before 3 March); Lewis v Thames News Services and ors (not before 3 June); […]
The Monty Python movie The Life of Brian is at the centre of a legal row over claims that its distributors wrongly gave the film’s rights to Channel Four Television for 20 years. Python (Monty) Pictures, of London NW1, has issued a writ against Paragon Entertainment, of Toronto, and Channel Four Television, in which it […]
A number of firms are preparing to train young solicitors to deal with financial services. Trainees at Barr Ellison, Buckle Mellows and Cunningham John are sitting financial services exams to tie in with their qualification as solicitors in September. Rosa Gunston, of Barr Ellison, will head a new department called investment and financial planning when […]
THE controversial £25m computerisation of the courts ran into its first difficulties last week when the first phase of the project was delayed by what the contractors described as a “minor blip”. Any company installing such a large system is likely to encounter problems, but the “blip” will provide ammunition for critics of the scheme. […]
Davies Arnold Cooper has appointed Nigel Madeley as head of property in Manchester. Madeley was with Addleshaws for over 10 years and left before the recent merger with Booth & Co to join niche property practice McGuiness Finch in Leeds, where he stayed less than six months before returning to Manchester.
The 1980’s saw a steady flow of Scandinavian law firms coming to London to set up offices. They were often housed with friendly London practices or organised premises in cooperation with other Nordic or continental firms interested in a London presence. ‘Nordic’ is used is preference to ‘Scandinavian’ to include Finnish and Icelandic practices. Swedish […]
A solicitor who is a Freemason has told the Home Affairs Committee investigating Freemasonry in the judiciary that he was excluded from his lodge because he acted against a fellow lodge member. Committee vice chairman Labour MP Chris Mullin questioned the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, Commander Michael Higham, about a […]
EMPLOYED solicitors from the CPS and the commercial sector have expressed dismay at Lord Mackay and the four senior designated judges’ decision to severely restrict higher court rights of audience for employed solicitors. Last week Mackay and the four judges ruled that employed solicitors could only appear in the High Court and Crown Courts for […]
US firm Shearman & Sterling has fallen foul of restrictions on foreign law firms in Hungary and been forced to change the name of its Budapest office. Local Bar rules mean that the firm has had to set up a separate Hungarian firm staffed by its Hungarian lawyers. The new firm is called Ban S […]
Robert Dickinson, senior partner of Newcastle firm Dickinson Dees for 10 years and with the firm for 34 years, has retired to devote more time to his duties as chairman of several listed companies. He will be replaced as senior partner by current managing partner Graham Wright. Neil Braithwaite succeeds Wright as managing partner.
The Criminal legal aid system in the UK is the envy of the world. It guarantees to all accused who are alleged to have committed the most serious and appalling crimes, the services of the “stars” – the best criminal QCs. No other system in the world provides such high-quality representation free of charge. It […]