* Further moves by the gay lobby to challenge alleged discrimination in the armed forces against gay men and lesbian women are headed for the courts. Following the recent grant of leave for former RAF nurse Jeannette Smith, who claims that she was sacked because she is a lesbian, to ask the High Court to […]
Chris Woodruff
ONLY 33 per cent of European lawyers received instruction in EU law at university and two in three consider their knowledge inadequate, a Gallup poll has shown. The survey, which was carried out for the European Commission, canvassed 635 lawyers throughout the 12 European Union member states. It reveals that 48 per cent did not […]
* Lawyers from Medina Borough Council and South Wight Borough Council are transferring to the newly-created Isle of Wight Council. At the end of March a legal executive moved from Medina, while a solicitor and part-time legal executive made the switch from South Wight. The two authorities are being abolished as part of the local […]
THE Association of Investment Managers held a ‘Meet the Law Society’ day last month, attended by key society figures, to discuss investment business regulations. Among the 50 ASIM members attending, Andrew Curtis of Somerset firm Clarke Willmott & Clarke welcomed the opportunity to discuss the issues. “I come from a financial background and the society’s […]
Law firms are being challenged to fight back against mortgage providers in the battle to provide household and contents insurance with a Law Society-endorsed general insurance broking service. Lawinsure, a subsidiary of the HSBC banking group which owns Midlands Bank, is promising to provide competitive quotes through its centralised quotation and arrangement service for household […]
THE DISTRICT Auditor for Westminster Council has denied claims he has created a legal dilemma for hundreds of local authorities. John Magill, the auditor investigating the Tory council’s housing sales policy, said councillors making decisions with legal implications could trust the advice of their legal departments. Westminster Conservatives claim they only went ahead with the […]
David Adams led the team at Travers Smith Braithwaite which acted for Clinton Cards in its £27.5m acquisition of GSG Holdings. Norton Rose acted for the underwriter HSBC Investments and Eversheds acted for the vendors. Paisner & Co’s Rosemary Sutherland acted for George Bateman & Son in its disposal of its Radial Free Trade business […]
MORE than 300 employers, including an increasing number of the UK’s top law firms, are expected to take Russian workers on placement as part of this year’s Chancellor’s Financial Sector Scheme. Norton Rose, Linklaters & Paines, Clifford Chance and Stephenson Harwood are among the firms participating in the project which was established in 1992 by […]
A FIRM is being sued over a property deal which allegedly caused a couple to live and work from a hotel for a month and twice postpone a holiday to Italy. The writ, drawn up by Islington-based Bolt Burdon, has been issued against Chesham firm Richardson Smith & Co. Richardson Smith partner Linda Wood says […]
LAW Society President Charles Elly has mounted a spirited defence of his deputy John Young as the profession gears up for the first contested presidential election in decades. Attacking the two surprise contenders for the leadership for having the arrogance to believe they can do a better job, Elly urges the profession to vote for […]
ASSISTANT under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office, Andrew Green, was guest speaker at the first anniversary event of the British Middle East Law Council (BMELC). Green, a former Ambassador to Syria, congratulated John Young, president of the council, and Ibrahim Kanaan, secretary general, on the energy and drive they have shown in establishing the […]