Douwe Korff is a Dutch human rights lawyer. He acted as counsel for the plaintiffs on the Gibraltar judgment. The need to amend domestic law or practice following an adverse judgment flows from the general international obligation on states to abide by their treaty obligations. Michael Heseltine’s denunciation of the European Court’s judgment on the […]
THE KENT firm Marsons has won a contract to handle the sale of 500 new Woolwich building society homes. Marsons was awarded the contract for the work which was put out to tender by the building society’s subsidiary Woolwich Homes. The society’s move to outsource the work followed its earlier decision to end its involvement […]
EXISTING funding for the provision of free legal advice must not be reduced if the Labour Party is successful in encouraging a greater pro bono commitment from the profession, the Bar Council and the Law Society have warned. Responding to Labour’s calls for lawyers to “make a contribution to the community” by offering their services […]
The European Court of Human Rights gave its first judgment on Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to life, in the case of McCann and Others vs United Kingdom 27.9.95, Series A, vol 324. The court found by a majority of ten to nine that the procedure and planning leading […]
Solicitors travelling in Europe will be able to make greater use of the conference room and library facilities at the joint Brussels office of the Law Societies of England and Wales and Scotland after fees were waived to encourage members to use resources. Use of the library and the conference room, which can accommodate up […]
The ‘East meets West’ merger between City firm Nicholson Graham & Jones and Mayfair-based Brecher & Co became reality on 10 October, creating a 46-partner, top-40 firm with an expected combined turnover of £16 million this year. The Brecher name will be lost with the new firm retaining the name of Nicholson Graham & Jones. […]
THE LEGAL implications of competitive tendering are among the issues to be discussed at a series of seminars organised by the Department of the Environment. Seven events have been arranged across the country to explain the legislative and political context of the contracting out drive. Environment minister Sir Paul Beresford said the seminars will include […]
Richard Gordon QC is a practising barrister specialising exclusively in judicial review. The Government has expressed “incredulity” at the European Court’s ‘Death on the Rock’ verdict. Yet, barely 24 hours after the court’s judgment, Mr Justice Dyson, in a landmark ruling, held that Home Secretary Michael Howard had “unreasonably and unlawfully” delayed parole hearings for […]
London firm Allison & Humphreys has become a member of European economic interest group IUROPE, alongside practices in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. The firm joins Leinen & Derichs, Studio Legale and Ruijgrok van Iersel & Luchtman. The organisation covers cities including Cologne, Potsdam, Brussels, Breda, Uden, Turin and London. A French practice is currently […]
It is time for money laundering to be taken seriously, the head of the Law Society’s Monitoring Unit told delegates. Bob Butler said firms which conduct business within the terms of the Financial Services Act must comply with the Money Laundering Regulations 1993. These require that all staff involved in investment transaction must be provided […]
LONDON-BASED Freshfields partner Ruth Markland is returning to Asia after six years in the UK to become the firm’s first-ever managing partner for the region. Markland moves out at the end of the month to assume control of Freshfields’ Asian network, which covers Tokyo, Hong Kong/China, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore. From […]
SPECIALIST technology firm Bird & Bird has joined the ranks of practices opening in Asia by unveiling its first office outside of Europe in Hong Kong. The 32-partner firm has moved communications and sports lawyer Vivien Crook out as resident partner in charge of the office. Prior to the move, Crook had been working on […]