Students in the Republic of Ireland who want to become solicitors are rebelling against a new Law Society rule which will require them to take an entrance exam before being admitted to its courses. The case could prove a forerunner to a similar controversy in the UK, if president of the Law Society Martin Mears […]
Bristol firm Lyons Davidson has appointed four new associates. Mark Savill, John Gore, Andrew Breckenridge, and Amanda Hibbard come from various departments within the practice and were “chosen for their outstanding commitment and achievement”. Savill completed his articles with the firm in 1992 and now specialises in licensing and commercial litigation. Gore, a chartered insurance […]
Rachel Browse, a trainee solicitor with Barnett Alexander Chart, has stormed her way through a Gladiators competition, beating her opponent by 22 points to three. Browse competed live in front of 8,000 people at Wembley arena on 14 April. “It was a great experience. I kicked arse,” she said. “It’s easy to sit on the […]
The UK’s leading law firms are appointing large numbers of new partners reflecting a surge in business not seen since the end of 1991 Gulf War. One of the main factors driving the increase in partner numbers is the explosion of takeover activity in the City bringing in tens of millions of pounds in advisory […]
A motion by veteran council member John Franks calling on the Law Society to explore the possibility of abolishing the Solicitors Indemnity Fund is to be put before this Thursday’s Law Society Council meeting. In a letter circulated to council members before the meeting, Franks argues that the Law Society should abolish the fund and […]
With the division between pure banking work and commercial work becoming more blurred, barristers are gaining experience of a mixture of company, commercial, chancery and corporate litigation. And the boom in cases involving Lloyd’s has taken up a great deal of the commercial Bar’s resources as well as those of many of the courts. In […]
City firms Charles Russell and Compton Carr are to merge on 1 May, in a move described as “strategically driven”. The Compton Carr specialisations of media and entertainment, medical negligence and commercial property law will combine with the practice groups at Charles Russell. Leading entertainment lawyer Brian Carr, who joins the firm as a partner, […]
The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food is taking a group of abattoir and slaughterhouse owners to the High Court. Fifty-seven writs have been issued in which the MAFF claims money it says is due under the Meat (Hygiene Inspection and Examination for Residues) (Charges) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/311) and the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and […]
Your article (‘Revealed: future for CPS Lawyers’ 16 April) is wholly misleading. It seems the document passed to you by “a current CPS employee” is a discussion document produced in CPS London for its managers. It is a list of possible actions produced by a group of CPS London staff. It has long been my […]
This year sees a substantial increase in the number of partners appointed by the top City firms and reflects a bullishness not felt for some years by the top tier of the profession. The upturn in business, seen as large numbers of companies restructure, is clearly good news for the major firms which are the […]
The Lord Chancellor must be praised for the appointment of Henry Hodge to the newly created post of deputy chair of the Legal Aid Board. The appointment is a brave and good one and is a major concession to legal aid lawyers who are extremely worried about the Government’s proposed legal aid reforms.
Members of staff at Huddersfield Magistrates Court admit to being somewhat shocked by the events which followed the reported sighting by a defendant of a rather large spider in one of their courtrooms. Baffled by the appearance of such an impressive creepy crawly, staff investigated and discovered that there was an outside chance it may […]