FAMILY lawyers have applauded Lord Mackay for his “political courage” in pushing divorce law reform and domestic violence issues to the fore of the Queen’s Speech. But although the Lord Chancellor’s plans to remove fault from the divorce process and encourage mediation have now received official approval, some areas of the new Family Law Bill […]
IN-HOUSE lawyers should offer “discreet but clear support” for initiatives to reduce discrimination taken by the firms and chambers which they instruct. That is the advice of the Law Society’s commerce and industry group whose chair, Julian Armstrong, has also called for more sponsors for a bursary scheme for ethnic law students. In the latest […]
BOTH arms of the legal profession have hit out at the inclusion of new disclosure rules in the Queen’s Speech claiming they will “undoubtedly unbalance the criminal justice system”. The rules, one of the main points of the new Criminal Procedure and Investigations Bill, will give police and prosecutors more control over evidence which is […]
LONDON firm Memery Crystal is acting for John Donner, the retired Lloyd’s broker and underwriter, in a major legal action against the Society of Lloyd’s and nine senior individuals in the market. A writ has been served claiming breach of fiduciary duty. The action is based on a series of detailed allegations by Donner of […]
Harvey Williams, head of litigation at City firm Sinclair Roche & Temperley, will take up the senior partner post next month. The move will mark the end of a 20-year term at the head of the firm for the current senior partner John Morris. Williams, a maritime law expert, joined the firm in 1965. He […]
CONSUMER bodies have reacted with disappointment to an amendment to the Bar’s proposed new complaints scheme. They say it will rule out certain legitimate complaints over shoddy service. The amendment, to be voted on in the Bar Council’s open meeting on the proposals this week, was called for by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) and […]
THE OLD boy network continues to thrive among the legal profession according to the third in a series of reports carried out by the Policy Studies Institute. The report, to be released this week, will echo past studies by saying firms show a strong preference for Oxbridge graduates and applicants for training contracts have a […]
During the 1980s, traditional theft targets such as banks, building societies, post offices and security vehicles employed better protection measures. Consequently the theft of art, antiques and valuables, which are less well protected, became an attractive alternative for criminals and the large number of handlers and fences dealing in stolen property compounded the problem. Meanwhile, […]
A RESHUFFLE among Scotland’s top legal figures is believed to have set a couple of professional records. The appointments include what is believed to be the first former solicitor to become Lord Advocate, the Government’s ultimate source of legal advice for Scotland. Newly-appointed Lord Advocate Donald Mackay qualified as a solicitor in 1971 and practised […]
Lawyers are being asked to nominate their support staff in the 1995 London Legal Secretary of the Year competition. Organised by legal recruiters London Law Appointments, the award attracted more than 120 entries in its first competition last year. The final, which will present the winner with a holiday for two to Los Angeles, will […]
IBA representatives and Bar leaders from 14 African countries met with South African president Nelson Mandela on the eve of the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in New Zealand. Mandela, who cancelled plans to deliver the IBA Section on Business Law’s 25th anniversary lecture to attend the conference, met with representatives including IBA president […]
THE COURT of Appeal has been accused of putting the interests of the legal profession above the interests of justice. The charge has been levelled by the television programme Trial and Error following the rejection of an appeal by 64-year-old Sheila Bowler, who was convicted of murdering her elderly aunt. A petition will now be […]