THE PARTNERS of 25 medium-sized City firms are to hold a summit this week with Law Society president Tony Girling to discuss concerns that their needs are not being addressed by the society. The meeting has been called by former Conservative cabinet minister David Hunt, senior partner at Beachcroft Stanleys. Hunt said that when he […]
The Enemy Within is a conference on computer crime in the workplace. Speakers include Adam Bates, fraud investigation partner at KPMG, and Nick Harwood, manager of detective operations at British Telecom. The event takes place on 5 March at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London. For further information, call AuthenTec International on 01296 […]
Cameron Markby Hewitt and McKenna & Co are to do joint presentations to their legal recruitment agencies in an attempt to end a drought of new solicitors following their lengthy merger negotiations. McKennas’ managing partner Robert Derry-Evans said: “We did notice a fall off of applicants once the merger rumours started flying around, but now […]
Witness intimidation is now recognised as a serious factor in all stages of the trial process. Victims can be intimidated by the threats of their assailant or by the nerve-wracking business of giving evidence. Outside court the police are responsible for witness-protection, but inside help is given by witness support services. Their presence is strong […]
The High Court in London has granted unprecedented leave to serve a notice of bankruptcy petition against an untraceable former solicitor, by advertisement in the legal press. The action brought against William Relton, former head of William Relton & Co, relates to unpaid fees to legal recruitment consultancy Charles Fellowes Partnership. The notice has been […]
Newly-merged firm Addleshaw Booth & Co has opened in Leeds and Manchester this week to serve “business right across the North”. The merger between Addleshaw Sons & Latham, based in Manchester, and Booth & Co, based in Leeds, officially started on the first of February, forming a 97-partner firm which retains both regional offices. David […]
Philip Vaughton handed a fraudster client a briefcase stuffed with £268,000 in cash from his own bank account. The tribunal heard that in 1990 Vaughton, then a partner at Northampton-based Howes Percival, was handling the sale of property developer RHDL’s newly-converted block of flats in Cleveland. But, unknown to Vaughton, the fraudster, “Mr F”, a […]
The British Venture Capital Association (BVCA) is asking the Office of Fair Trading to refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) an agreement by the Big Six accountancy firms on limiting their liability. Travers Smith Braithwaite corporate partner Margaret Chamberlain, a member of the BVCA’s legal committee, has helped draw up the organisation’s representations […]
A case focusing on the liability of local authorities for emergency services is being taken to the High Court. Nottinghamshire County Council is being sued for damages of more than £250,000 over a flooded factory in Nottingham. It will be argued that the flood at Marathon Hosiery’s factory was caused by negligence on the part […]
Assessing compensation payable by the Law Society (1) R v Law Society, ex parte Mortgage Express; (2) R v Law Society, ex parte Alliance & Leicester Building Society (1997) CA (Lord Bingham CJ, Mummery LJ and Sir Brian Neill) 17/12/96 Summary: Appeal by the Law Society concerning compensation claims by building societies for solicitors’ frauds. […]
Norton Rose’s legal tactics helped concentrate Trade and Industry Secretary Ian Lang’s mind on the general election when he made the groundbreaking decision to block the hostile takeover of Mid Kent Water. John Cook, Norton Rose’s competition head, said legal action he had taken for Mid Kent against the bid had effectively pushed back Lang’s […]
BATH firm Macfarlane Guy is to break up in a three-way split this month after merger talks with a Bristol practice failed at the eleventh hour. The firm’s break up has been prompted by Bristol practice Sansbury Hill’s unexpected decision to pull out of the talks at a late stage, according to senior partner Michael […]