London firm Reid Minty is suing construction union UCATT (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and technicians) for alleged unpaid fees totalling more than £80,000. It is understood that the firm’s action against the 157,201-member union dates from 1992 and includes bills for work on successful libel cases brought against rival union officials and a building […]
Linda Tsang reports TOP legal software supplier AIM has acquired the business of financially troubled Scottish systems company HG Usher in a £0.5 million deal. Both companies had been working together in the LawDesk Consortium which pooled their research spending. A leading Scottish supplier, Ushers also has a significant market share south of the border, […]
A SIMMERING row between senior figures in the Law Society Sole Practitioner’s Group looks set to boil over this week when the group holds its annual meeting. The meeting – attended by the society’s presidential candidates – will be fired up by claims that chair Arnold Rosen is being censored by his own ruling committee. […]
Linda Tsang reports INFOTECH Software piracy costs in Europe in 1994 amounted to £4.2 billion. This is an increase of 22 per cent over the previous year’s figures. This is one of the Business Software Alliance’s (BSA) findings in its annual survey of 25 European countries. The figures are despite successful prosecutions against software pirates […]
Linda Tsang reports Liverpool-based practice the Ian Short Partnership has put its business on-line on the Internet. Name partner Ian Short explains that the idea is to involve lawyers in the running of a business to save or earn more money, and identifies two key components for the change, including abolishing, where possible, charging clients […]
In 1992 the Lord Chancellor addressed the Law Society’s national conference and set the tone for his legal aid reforms; the tone uncompromising, the measures unpopular. The speech is significant because it gave the firmest indication of Lord Mackay’s calm but determined approach to reform. He outlined his plans for franchising, conditional fees and legal […]
TWO LONDON partners from US firm Faegre & Benson were last week questioned by police over the alleged laundering of “at least $US50 million” on behalf of organised crime gangs in Russia. The partners, who have not been named, were arrested in London last week along with one of their wives, a Russian businesswoman. The […]
McKenna & Co acted for NatWest Markets Corporate Finance on the Stock Exchange flotation of Colleagues Group. The flotation was by way of a placing which valued Colleagues at around £26 million and which raised £8.2 million. NatWest Markets was sponsor and issuing house to the placing
Stephenson Harwood advised Langdons Food on its flotation to the Stock Exchange main list. It also advised Prime People on its Stock Exchange listing
In response to increasing demand for information from solicitors and expert witnesses, the Law Society is producing a code of practice for experts and guidelines for solicitors to be launched in its ‘Directory of Expert Witnesses’ in November. There are a number of sources you can tap for expert advice, including other practitioners in the […]
Cyril Dixon reports COUNCILS face a stiff challenge to their welfare policies next month when the High Court begins hearing a series of legal bids to block cuts in social services. Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Islington councils will be brought before the court in seven separate cases over their attempts to withdraw services. The authorities are […]
One type of special reporting work which has attracted increasing interest in many quarters is auditors’ work in relation to Lloyd’s syndicates. In recent years, claims resulting from asbestosis and pollution have resulted in enormous losses by many syndicates. Some actions by groups of Lloyd’s Names alleging negligence against underwriting agents and syndicate auditors have […]