THE BROADCASTING watchdog has warned solicitors instructed to draft complaints on behalf of clients to speed up their acts. The Broadcasting Complaints Commission has revealed that members of the public who believe they are increasing their chances of a successful complaint by paying a solicitor are in fact achieving the opposite result. It points out […]
THE LEGAL Aid Board has moved to quell a rebellion by advice agencies over legal aid block contracting, putting down a threatened boycott of the scheme to a “widespread misunderstanding” of the government’s reform plans. The threat was made last week when the Federation of Independent Advice Centres (FIAC) warned that its centres would pull […]
Fennemores has appointed Chris Robinson to join the commercial team in its Milton Keynes office. He will be responsible for corporate finance, and acquisitions and mergers. Robinson joins the firm from Irwin Mitchell in Birmingham where he was head of corporate services. He decided to move to Fennemores because of the growth in corporate finance […]
John Heaps, head of commercial litigation in Evershed’s Leeds office, was the only British lawyer invited to speak at a US conference in Washington DC last week. At the event, entitled “Civil Justice and the Litigation Process”, Heaps explained aspects of the British legal system, highlighting reforms in the wake of the Woolf Report, particularly […]
Boxer Lennox Lewis faces High Court breach of contract accusations. A writ has been issued against him and Frank Maloney by Products of Far East based in St Helier, Jersey. It claims damages for breach of a written contract dated 19 February 1991. The writ does not specify the nature of the contract at the […]
Lovell White Durrant acted for Albion Property Investments in its acquisition of a £20 million portfolio from Langbourn Property Investment Services for a mix of cash and shares. The deal boosts Albion’s property assets to £115 million and gives Kleinwort Benson Property Fund, managed by Langbourn, a 15.9 per cent stake in Albion. The initial […]
The latest survey on financial management compiled by this magazine and Big Six firm Coopers & Lybrand looks at the link between marketing and increased business. For the many doubting Thomas lawyers who ponder the worth of marketing, the survey clearly shows the most profitable firms spend twice as much time on marketing as their […]
Wragge & Co advised Kingspark Developments on its development of the 40-acre Heinz manufacturing site at Harlsden, London. Kingspark bought the first phase of the development on a sale and leaseback arrangement with Heinz, represented by Clifford Chance. The development, a 165,000 sq ft warehouse, was forward sold to Pearl Assurance, represented by McKenna & […]
Arbitration has been slated as costly, time-consuming and inflexible, in a survey conducted by City firm Berrymans. The survey revealed that arbitration, introduced as a cost-effective and speedy alternative to litigation, is not popular with insurance companies. Paul Taylor, a leading insurance litigator and senior partner at Berrymans, presented the results of the survey to […]
There can be little doubt that Law Society president Martin Mears has tapped into a reservoir of disaffection. But there is a danger that the current elections will increase polarisation at a time when we need to find common ground to revive the profession. The key issue is that the profession has not taken on […]
LOCAL government lawyers have endorsed council threats to take legal action against the Government if it goes ahead with plans to extend compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) to white collar work. The initiative is being led by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities (AMA) with the support of the Association of District Councils and the Association of […]