THE Chancellor of the Exchequer’s initiative to privatise the drafting of some of this year’s Finance Bill has been described as a “reckless waste of public money” by a former government draftsman. Sir George Engle, a retired first parliamentary counsel, has spoken out against Kenneth Clarke’s initiative to farm out some of the parliamentary counsel […]
CITY firms Hobson Audley and Hopkins & Wood are expected to announce they will be merging to create a 14-partner practice called Hobson Audley Hopkins & Wood. The firms, founded in the early eighties, have been in talks since last July to form a more broadly based firm working in corporate law, litigation and commercial […]
The fashion department at Elle magazine come up with some suggestions for those wishing to dress with style. There is no single set look this season, and overall the look is quite flexible. Trouser suits are in, with a slim jacket and kick-flare trousers. Skirts are either really short or really long – again, this […]
EVIDENCE of “substantial” numbers of fraudulent legal aid applications has been highlighted by government auditors. But the National Audit Office has described the Legal Aid Board’s systems for checking means tests as “robust” in a report on civil aid means testing which was released last Friday. The report, issued just two days after the announcement […]
Ex-lawyer Madeleine Hamilton is probably better-placed than most to know about legal dress-sense. Having practised as a corporate lawyer with a City law firm, she left four years ago to set up her own business designing and manufacturing shirts for professional women. Hamilton has since expanded, opening a shop in Chancery Lane (next to the […]
The Internet is all set to become the message pushing, contact warming, all-around marketing good guy. And lawyers will soon have their Web sites, home pages and interactive interfaces buzzing and whirring, and their bespoke message will be super RAM raided down the corporate throat. Gone is the need for client warming and cuddling (my […]
The concept of ‘Dress down Fridays’ was imported into the UK by US corporations. The policy allowed employees to dress in more casual clothing, such as open-necked shirts and casual trousers, in the run-up to the weekend. City law firm DJ Freeman has issued guidelines on dress which include a ruling that male employees should […]
Soldier’s claim for battle injury caused by negligence Richard Mulcahy v Ministry of Defence (1996). CA (Neill LJ, McCowan LJ and Sir Iain Glidewell) 21/2/96. Summary: Crown forces are not liable for injury or damages sustained by any negligent action during battle conditions. Appeal by the defendant against dismissal of its application to strike out […]
MARTIN Mears has been blamed by the Legal Action Group for transforming events at Chancery Lane into a “farcical soap opera”. The Law Society president is lambasted in the leading article of the March issue of Legal Action, the pressure group’s magazine, which calls for Mears and his deputy Robert Sayer to be overthrown. “The […]
FARRER & Co has produced a guide to the prickly issue of disciplining and firing employees following a sharp rise in the number of unfair dismissal claims reaching the courts. Disciplining and Dismissing Employees – A Guide for Managers is aimed at line managers and advises how to deal with employees without giving cause for […]
A HOME counties chambers which has just opened a new set in St Albans says it has not looked back since leaving the Temple 11 years ago. When Tindal Chambers moved out of King’s Bench Walk to set up shop in Chelmsford it had eight tenants. Now the general common law set boasts 35 barristers […]
London law firm Constant & Constant has appointed Paris-based sole practitioner Ferdinand Vroom as a partner in its Paris office. Vroom has merged his practice with Constant & Constant to specialise in international shipping, transport and finance law. He qualified as an English solicitor in 1977, was admitted as an avocat in 1993 and ran […]