Legal News

One in ten tribunal awards ?ignored by rogue employers?

Posted on October 13, 2008
About 1,500 people who win tribunal claims each year over their treatment in the workplace do not receive their awards because of a flaw in the system, a report concludes.

Gordon Brown's last-ditch appeal fails as Lords reject 42-day Bill

Posted on October 13, 2008
The Government?s controversial plan to extend the pre-charge detention limit from 28 days to 42 was heavily defeated in the Lords tonight.

Law firms ?losing talent over hours and work-life balance?

Posted on October 12, 2008
The culture in City law firms of working long hours is draining talent from the legal profession, according to research to be published this week.

Judge's warning to police after shooting of Chelsea barrister Mark Saunders

Posted on October 10, 2008
A High Court judge today sharply criticised the practice of allowing police officers to confer with each other during inquiries, as he delivered his verdict on the case of a barrister shot to death in Chelsea.

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Courts creditors to win payout after ruling

Posted on October 09, 2008
An attempt by the liquidators of Courts, the failed furniture retailer, to stop payments to the majority of unsecured creditors and former staff failed today.

The Water Cooler

Posted on October 09, 2008
* Millions of pounds held by law firms could be at risk if any more banks go under. Money held in firms? client accounts ? house deposits, probate funds, compensation ? is only as safe as the bank it is kept in. Mark Stobbs, director of legal policy at the Law Society, has told the Law Society Gazette: ?We concluded that if a bank account is held by a solicitor on behalf of a client and the bank goes bust, it is going to be the client?s problem, rather than the solicitors...

Come and see our etchings some time

Posted on October 09, 2008
There is more to life than law ? and law firms that want to show that they have wider interests are increasingly drawn into the world of art. Even so it is a powerful statement by Walker Morris, the Leeds-based firm, to be principal sponsor of The Revolution Continues: New Art from China that opens at the Saatchi Gallery this week...

Lawyer of the Week: Graham Nicholson

Posted on October 09, 2008
Graham Nicholson, a corporate partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has been appointed chief legal adviser to the Bank of England. In that role he will also advise the Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King. His appointment will begin on January 1 next year.

In the City: China photo competition

Posted on October 09, 2008
Snapping China as it changes for our Law competition

Does judging still have appeal?

Posted on October 09, 2008
It has been a good week for the cause of diversity among Britain?s judges. Just months ago one of only three of 36 Court of Appeal judges lamented the lack of women in senior judicial posts. In the past three years, Lady Justice Arden said, only one woman had been chosen for the High Court bench compared with 29 men.

Class actions: will we adopt the American way?

Posted on October 08, 2008
Class actions are back on the agenda after the Civil Justice Council (CJC), the body responsible for advising the Lord Chancellor on the modernisation of the law, recently published proposals to make it easier for consumers and small businesses to seek redress through the courts.

Treasury: no British savers will lose cash from Icesave collapse

Posted on October 08, 2008
The Treasury today guaranteed that no British customers of Icesave would lose their savings after the Icelandic online bank collapsed yesterday.

Former UBS lawyer pays $6.5m to settle insider dealing probe$

Posted on October 08, 2008
The former general counsel of UBS's investment banking unit will pay $6.5 million to settle an allegation that he dumped his investments in auction-rate securities after getting an internal company email warning that the market was in trouble.$

Gordon Brown vows to sue Icesave to get savers' money back

Posted on October 08, 2008
Gordon Brown today vowed to protect British savers who face losing money in the Icesave online bank which collapsed yesterday, and threatened legal action against the Icelandic authorities to force it to honour its obligations.

Court ruling strengthens patent protection for UK software

Posted on October 08, 2008
Technology companies will find it easier to safeguard their innovations in the UK after a court ruled that software should receive wider patent protection.

BBC to pay £½m costs in IVF libel case

Posted on October 08, 2008
The BBC yesterday abandoned its claim that a Panoroma investigation into the country?s top fertility doctor constituted ?responsible journalism?.

In court today

Posted on October 07, 2008
Old Bailey

Turf wars erupt over fees for family cases

Posted on October 07, 2008
The credit crunch may dominate world headlines but closer to home lawyers are feeling the impact of their own pay squeeze.

A&L fined record £7 million for mis-selling

Posted on October 07, 2008
The Financial Services Authority has fined Alliance & Leicester (A&L) a record-breaking £7 million for mis-selling 210,000 payment protection insurance (PPI) policies.

Balfour Beatty pays £2.25m after SFO probe

Posted on October 06, 2008
Balfour Beatty, the UK construction group, will pay £2.25 million after a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into inaccurate accounting at an Egyptian joint venture.

Way open for £700m Buncefield payout by Total

Posted on October 06, 2008
Hundreds of claimants whose properties and businesses were ruined in Britain's biggest peacetime explosion are set for a £700 million payout after Total, one of Europe's largest oil companies, abandoned a key part of its defence against a lawsuit yesterday.

Test case for non-dom Robert Gaines-Cooper

Posted on October 06, 2008
A wealthy entrepreneur who was hit with a multimillion-pound tax bill after being stripped of his non-domiciled status has begun a High Court test case that could have big implications for ?non-doms?.

Women make breakthrough to High Court bench

Posted on October 06, 2008
London Women are finally breaking through the glass ceiling of senior judicial appointments.

Buncefield victims set for £700 million payout after Total drops defence

Posted on October 06, 2008
Hundreds of claimants whose properties and businesses were ruined in Britain's biggest peacetime explosion are set for a £700 million payout after Total, one of Europe's largest oil companies, today abandoned a key part of its defence against a lawsuit.

Energy watchdog says 'unfair' market needs reform

Posted on October 06, 2008
More than 15 million households are overpaying for their gas and electricity in an ?unfair? market that requires urgent reform, according to Ofgem, the energy market regulator.

French elite in the dock as £450m Angola arms trial begins in Paris

Posted on October 06, 2008
Some of the leading names in France's political and business elite went on trial yesterday over an arms-dealing scandal that could shine light on the murkiest dealings of the French state.

Long hours and stress drive lawyers to drink and drugs

Posted on October 05, 2008
A culture of long hours and stress are driving increasing numbers of lawyers to drink and drugs, both within and outside the workplace.

42-day detention dropped as unworkable

Posted on October 05, 2008
Gordon Brown is preparing for a humiliating climbdown over his proposal to hold terrorist suspects for 42 days after being told that it will be defeated in the House of Lords.

In court today: Inquest of Jean Charles de Menezes

Posted on October 05, 2008
Oval Cricket Ground

No appeals for bus passengers

Posted on October 05, 2008
Bus passengers will have weaker legal rights than rail passengers, despite a government pledge that they would be treated equally by a new public transport watchdog.

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