John Malpas reports The LAW Commission has welcomed a Bar Council commitment to lobby the Government to speed up the progress of non-contentious criminal law reform through Parliament. The Bar Parliamentary Group is pressing the Government to allow Law Commission reports on criminal law a ‘fast track’ passage through Parliament, much to the delight of […]
* JOHN BERNARD HURST, 50, admitted 1976, practised as John B Hurst, Hove, Sussex, struck off and ordered to pay u779 costs. Tribunal told he had been given a suspended 12-month jail sentence at Norwich Crown Court on October 29, 1992, after conviction on two counts of aiding and abetting the fraudulent disposal of a […]
THE TREATMENT of ethnic minority defendants by the criminal justice system is the subject of a new two-year study by Warwick University’s School of Law. Funded by a u196,650 grant from the Economic and Social Research Council, the study will look at racial differences in the system and whether they are the result of discrimination […]
Caroline Jowett AS part of a continuing programme to improve efficiency, the Supreme Court Group has introduced a series of IT support systems. The programme illustrates the commitment to IT of this court group, which comprises the Court of Appeal Civil Division, the Queen’s Bench, Chancery and Family Divisions and the Probate Service throughout England […]
A commitment to ‘Investors in People’ merely to achieve the kitemark is foolish – firms should be realistic about the time it will take to be true ‘investors in people’. Working closely with Birmingham Tec, some of the major firms in Birmingham are collectively developing projects to help move towards achieving that national standard. Why […]
A BARRISTER of 22 years standing made bankrupt at the High Court says the order will be annulled. Nigel Askham, a tenant at South Western Chambers in Taunton, was declared bankrupt by Mr Registrar Pimm on 4 April. He says the order was a mistake and he has received confirmation it will be annulled. The […]
I am writing with reference to John Malpas’ article ‘Trainees must make salary choice’ (The Lawyer 4 April). I was recently asked by the Law Society for my comments on the issue of minimum salaries for trainee solicitors and the proposals for its abolition. As a law graduate who has been unsuccessfully seeking a training […]
It seems a shame to shatter the illusions of Nicholas Brown (‘Training and sticky labels’ The Lawyer 4 April) just as he is entering the profession, but the use of a sticky label on an applicant’s envelope is highly unlikely to sway a prospective employer one way or the other, What is inside the envelope […]
The Law Society has probably had its worst week ever. Its council’s presidential candidate John Young was hounded by the press from his candidacy over what he accepts as “minor but regrettable” sexual incidents. He insists his decision was because of the three- cornered election with the danger of a Mears/Sayers ticket getting in. Otherwise, […]
The difficulties City firm Simmons & Simmons finds itself in, with unprecedented allegations being made against a partner, can only elicit sympathy at this stage. But whatever the outcome, the firm has already suffered damage to its reputation, however unfair. The loss of a major client will also hit its billings. The firm chose to […]
Porsche Cars (GB) is suing Graham Brooks, of Poole, Dorset, who it claims crashed and damaged a Porsche he had taken for a test drive. The claim is for more than u4,000 for the cost of repairs. According to the writ the damage happened to a Porsche 928 during a test drive on 5 May […]
* Walker Morris in Leeds has completed the first round of its invitation to tender. It has received responses from 12 suppliers, including existing supplier TimeSlice. The firm wants open design practice management and case management systems.