Roger Pearson looks at two women’s dispute over the right to cremate The date has been set for a case in the High Court in which two women are fighting over the dead body of the man they loved. David Brinson died of pancreatic cancer in May at the age of 42. At the time […]
Joyce v Liverpool City Council: Wynne v the same (1995). (CA (Sir Thomas Bingham MR, Hirst LJ, Aldous LJ) 28/4/95). Summary: District judge’s powers to resolve a small claim referred for arbitration under County Court Rules 1981 O.19. Appeals from the confirmation of decisions of district judges that appellants’ claims against their landlords for specific […]
On 23 June the results of the qualified lawyers transfer test were published, giving the names of those already qualified lawyers who have successfully met the Law Society’s requirements in passing further tests to become solicitors. Those from foreign jurisdictions will then gain an additional qualification, whereas the barristers qualified in England might well be […]
Productivity in a law firm is difficult to define. In essence, it is the comparison of fee income generated per head, compared with the cost of providing that intellectual capacity for clients. Understanding the client’s requirements and commercial objectives enables you to select the team of fee earners best able to provide skills and expertise […]
Robert W Martin analyses the findings of The Lawyer/Coopers & Lybrand 1995 Survey of Firms’ Financial Management It was another good year for the profession, according to the fourth annual TheLawyer/Coopers & Lybrand survey. It was also a year of contrasts. Profits were up, with more firms taking on professional staff, but climbing the ladder […]
CITY FIRM Garrett & Co has poached two City partners in a bid to revamp its IT and intellectual property (IP) division. The new recruits, partners Richard Kemp and Mark Turner, join from Hammond Suddard and Denton Hall. Garrett’s announcement comes three months after Marcus O’Leary, founder of its Reading IP section, left to set […]
Leading city firms Slaughter and May and Freshfields are advising on the £1 billion bid by Dresdner, Germany’s second-biggest bank, for leading UK investment bank Kleinwort Benson. An offer document will now be produced and passed to Kleinwort’s shareholders, who will vote on the bid recommended by the UK bank’s board. The Slaughter and May […]
San Francisco firm Morrison & Foerster and New York firm White & Case have been hit by the departures of top-level partners and assistants. A five-partner team and 12 associates left the Manhattan office of Morrison & Foerster to join 83-partner New York firm Chadbourne & Parke. And 14 lawyers exchanged the litigation department of […]
Debate continues to rage in Australia over alternative dispute resolution. In a newsletter to the recent IBA conference in Edinburgh, Michelle Sindler of Minter Ellison Morris Fletcher says arguments over whether Australian courts can require parties to participate in ADR are ongoing. However, she says the country is witnessing a “fundamental change” to its legal […]
Research co-sponsored by SJ Berwin reveals that company directors’ misunderstanding of their legal duties remains one of the key barriers to sustainable competitive success. The report, ‘Tomorrow’s company inquiry’ advocates the “inclusive approach”, as essential for successful companies. This entails building reciprocal relationships with all ‘stakeholders’ – employees, customers, suppliers and the community – in […]
A conference in Beijing and Shanghai organised by the American Bar Association and the All China Lawyers’ Association has been cancelled after an edict from the Chinese Government banned international conferences in banking, finance and law. The conference entitled ‘The role of lawyers in the creation of a market economy in China’ was due to […]
London’s position as the premier international legal centre cannot be guaranteed, David Hunt, MP warned lawyers last week. Speaking at a special event organised by the Law Society for international lawyers based in London, Hunt said that London “must face up to the realities of competition from other centres throughout the world”. The Government wants […]