A TEAM of family lawyers is offering support for victims of domestic violence. The 17 solicitors, from Welsh firm Hugh James Jones & Jenkins, are running the UK’s first free legal 24-hour helpline for victims. The lawyers have been trained by the Samaritans to handle the calls and take it in turns to go on […]
LONDON niche construction law firms Freedmans and Church & Church have merged, creating a 20-lawyer specialist practice with a focus on UK and international projects work. The new 11-partner practice is now called Freedman Church. The merger, effective from this month, also coincides with the transfer of Michael Crooke, a senior energy project lawyer from […]
AN INDEFENSIBLE judicial selection system biased against employed barristers is depriving the judiciary of a rich vein of talent, according to the in-house barristers’ group, Bacfi. In a hard hitting submission to the House of Commons Home Affairs select committee, the Bar Association for Commerce, Finance and Industry calls for a reform of the law […]
LEGAL consultants The David Andrews Partnership (DAP) has merged with national firm Grant Thornton (GT) to form what may be the largest specialist consultancy for the legal profession. DAP chair David Andrews will head the new practice, which will continue to use his name. He becomes a Grant Thornton partner. Michael Rogerson, head of GT’s […]
THE APPEAL Court was the scene of an unprecedented and bitter clash between former Bar Council chairman Anthony Scrivener QC and a senior judge. The clash centred on the death of Scrivener’s father at Canterbury on Wednesday. On hearing of his father’s death, Scrivener, who had been conducting a murder appeal, tried during that evening […]
The Law Society is holding another advocacy training course for solicitors and trainees. Those attending the course, which runs from 4-7 May at the Abbey Hotel in Great Malvern, will be trained by an experienced team of advocates who will take them through a number of advocacy situations, with the chance to be filmed. The […]
LONDON firm Sonn & Co has been granted leave to seek a second judicial review against the chief clerk at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court. The firm argues that clerk Alan Gooch was wrong to turn down legal aid to one of its clients who the partners say was in danger of being put in custody. […]
ADVICE from local authority lawyers could prove worthless in future if the District Auditor in the Westminster homes-for-votes case sticks to his original view, it is claimed. Councillors across the country will run the risk of surcharge even if they follow legal officers’ instructions, according to Westminster’s Conservatives. But solicitor Graham French, who represents the […]
AN IN-HOUSE lawyer with J D Wetherspoon has been promoted to its top legal job. Rosalyn Schofield has been appointed director of legal services and company secretary at the Watford-based company which operates 101 pubs. She takes over from Christina McLellan who is returning to private practice but will continue to do consultation work for […]
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INSOLVENT solicitor Michael Freeman still faces taxation for work totalling over u1 million after an appeal against the order was dismissed by a judge. Freeman, latterly of Michael Freeman & Co, is subject to a Taxing Master’s order for a final bill. He has three months to produce bills for work he did for the […]
TWO law firms say they have been vindicated following the discontinuation of negligence claims against them over a multi-million pound property deal that went wrong. Jeffrey Green Russell and Lovell White Durrant were accused of failing to warn their clients, Rentaminster and SBG Holdings, a property they bought for u2.5 million was overvalued. They denied […]