An after-the-event litigation costs scheme has been extended to allow companies and individuals throughout the UK to get £50,000 in insurance cover to take their cases to court. Under the LawAssist scheme, devised by Greystoke Legal Services, clients who receive little or no legal aid will be able to pay a £357 premium for each […]
A NEW deal between a leading estate agents and licensed conveyancers to provide a seven-day-a-week conveyancing service has prompted a renewed Law Society pledge to move quickly to liberalise solicitors’ practising restrictions. Hambro Countrywide and the Council of Licensed Conveyancers last week entered into an arrangement to offer the service through Hambros’ 700 estate agents […]
McKenna & Co has created its first non-fee earning partner post with the appointment of Melissa Hardee to develop training and co-ordinate ‘know-how’ at the firm. Hardee joined McKennas from Clifford Chance in 1994 and has already been developing know-how support systems for the corporate practice. Managing partner Robert Derry-Evans said: “I expect that we […]
Arthur Andersen-tied Garrett & Co is establishing a private client practice with the recruitment of Berwin Leighton trust partner Judith Powell. Powell, a specialist in trusts and personal taxation and a partner at Berwin Leighton for 10 years, will be Garretts’ first private client partner and will head the new department. She will be based […]
Family lawyers have welcomed a new training scheme to help them advise clients seeking divorce on counselling and mediation options. The scheme, launched last week by the National Solicitors’ Network and the marriage guidance service Relate, aims to equip solicitors with an understanding of the ‘conciliatory’ spirit of the new divorce reforms. Under the Relate […]
High-profile barrister Richard Lissack QC has moved from the chambers of Anthony Donne QC at 2 King’s Bench Chambers to 35 Essex Street, citing the need for greater back-up as his workload grows. Lissack, the crime and fraud specialist who prosecuted the Maxwell fraud trial, said he wanted to move from a set which specialised […]
Solicitors involved in Bristol’s first court-based tele-hearing have welcomed the new development as “an excellent idea”. The tele-hearing, a pre-trial review of a commercial case, was the first to be heard at Bristol’s Mercantile Court. It was suggested by Judge Raymond Jack QC, who presided over it at the end of November. The hearing was […]
The tripartite merger of three medium-sized German law firms in the New Year will add a new name to the country’s super league of corporate legal practices. The new 150-lawyer firm, Hasche Eschenlohr Peltzer Riesenkampff Fischotter, will be created from the merger of Hasche & Eschenlohr, Peltzer & Riesenkampff and Fischotter Micheli & Partner. The […]
The Bar Council is lobbying Parliament for free access to legal materials for people using the Internet. The Bar Services and IT committee wants to see the government get rid of Crown copyright on statutes and related documents. Instead the Government is proposing to introduce a payment formula for reproducing Crown copyright material in electronic […]
All European Union legislation is now available on CD-ROM. European Law contains all EU legislation, treaties, directives and regulations, as well as European Court of Justice cases and references to national implementation measures. Guidelines from the DTI on the likely impact of legislation are also included, together with proposals and contact points at the DTI […]
Magistrates have convicted sole practitioner Robert Layton of assaulting his clerk for failing to photocopy court papers. The clerk, who is now a freelance police station adviser, took out a private prosecution against his former boss. Last week he told Haringey magistrates how, on 17 May this year, Layton, who is a partner at Layton […]
Ashurst Morris Crisp is claiming victory for its client Merrill Lynch after a House of Lords ruling which will see US bank Citibank having to pay the investment bank £14m damages over a fraudulent share sale. In 1989 broker Smith New Court, now owned by Merrill Lynch, paid Citibank Securities £23m for 28 million shares […]