hThe Bar Council describes Nigel Hamilton QC’s sexual harassment of a client and a solicitor’s clerk as a serious breach of its code. But the barrister and part-time judge’s three month suspension from practising at the Bar has been described as too short by the Association of Women Barristers. In what is believed to be […]
CLOSURES of magistrates courts, staff redundancies, increased delays and reduced levels of service will result from the Government’s u7.6 million cut of court financing, warns the Central Council of Magistrates’ Courts Committees (CCMCC). Greater uncertainty over strategic budgeting for MCCs will be an inevitable consequence, and will backfire on the Government’s original aim of actually […]
AUSTRALIAN judge Mr Justice Hampel QC headed a training event for would-be members of the Scottish Bar at Edinburgh’s Faculty of Advocates. Hampel, a judge in the Victoria Supreme Court, instructed the faculty’s pupil advocates – known as “devils” – in skills including examination in chief, cross examination and speeches to judge and jury. Training […]
Nosey neighbours on a train or plane will be totally disconcerted when faced with this new privacy filter for notebook computers. According to manufacturers 3M all they will be able to see is a blank, dark screen, enabling confidential data on the screen to be viewed only by the person directly in front of the […]
Jane Ahrends on the steps some law firms are taking to make arranging travel both easier and cheaper Law firms are paying increasing attention to their travel arrangements. In the process they are scrutinising their own internal organisation as well as the agents they use. While some opt to have secretaries place bookings among a […]
An attempt to judicially review the Law Society over two rejections of a compensation claim by members of the pension scheme of crashed company Belling was dropped by trustee Law Debenture Trust after leave to appeal had been granted. The Law Society has agreed to reconsider the claim on 8 March. Sole practitioner Charles Deacon […]
Referral work has dried up for US firms which are associated with UK firms or which have expressed intentions to do English work, according to the survey carried out by The Lawyer. Graham & James, which is linked with UK firm Taylor Joynson Garrett, estimates that two per cent of its work is referrals from […]
LAWYERS using the Central London County Court Business List set up last June have won two improvements: the granting of Mareva injunctions, and the handling of cases worth up to u200,000. Until now, Marevas were only granted in the High Court, while the size of case was limited to u50,000. Both changes are welcomed by […]
INTERNATIONAL law firm McKenna & Co has been instructed by three of India’s State Governments to provide utilities advice on the restructuring of State Electricity Boards in Orissa, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The firm, well-established in the country as an expert in the power sector, is advising the boards on seven projects, as well as […]
Professional firms providing legal, trust and company services in leading offshore centres cannot ignore the potential of the Internet. Until recently, it might have been argued that the jury was still out on the extent of the Internet’s role as a business communications tool. For some, it was destined to remain the preserve of academics […]
Jersey firm Bailhache Labesse has chosen the AIM practice management system. The fact that Bailhache would not be the only AIM Professional user in Jersey played a big part in the firm choosing the supplier. Practice director Edmund Bendelow says it is very important that AIM is used in other island firms so the firm […]
Thames Valley firm Pitmans has taken on three lawyers. Jane Young has joined the litigation department from Edwin Coe, in London, and Caroline Martin has joined the company commercial department from Newbury’s Charles Lucas & Marshall. Robert Fuzzey has been taken on in the litigation department as a paralegal prior to obtaining a training contract. […]