July 2007 Archives
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7% rise in legal aid cases in Liverpool
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 31, 2007 8:56 AM
MERSEYSIDE has experienced an increase of nearly 7% more legal aid cases in the region on last year.
More than 32,000 cases of civil legal help were funded by legal aid in the Liverpool area in the last 12 months, according to the Legal Services Commission, 6.85% more than last year’s 30,352.
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Award is icing on the cake for young solicitor
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 31, 2007 8:00 AM
CHILDREN’S solicitor Sophia Khan, of the National Youth Advocacy Service, a Wirral-based children’s rights charity, has been recognised for her work in the field of child law by picking up an outstanding newcomer award.
She received the award from Lord Justice Wilson, at the annual Association of Law-yers for Children Hershman Levy Memorial Lecture at South Bank University.
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Rare award for Hill Dickinson boss
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 31, 2007 7:59 AM
A LEADING legal services professional has become one of the few women to be inducted as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Carolyn Roberson, director of client services and development at law firm Hill Dickinson, becomes only the 234th woman Fellow out of more than 2,000 Fellows.
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Opinion: Peter Mooney on confusion over the smoking ban
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 31, 2007 6:57 AM
BUSINESSES are still baffled by the smoking ban, four weeks after it was introduced.
The new law was brought in on July 1 to ban smoking in all enclosed spaces, including offices, pubs and restaurants.
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Row over farmer's failed legal aid application
Posted by Legal Week Administrator on July 30, 2007 7:49 AM
A MERSEYSIDE solicitor has branded as 'farcical' a decision to refuse legal aid for a farmer who had won the right to take the Government to the High Court over the slaughter of his cattle.
David Dobbin lost all 560 of his cows after they were seized by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs following what he claims was an 18-month “witch hunt”.
When a judge granted the Chester-based farmer leave to pursue a judicial review into Defra’s actions, it was hailed as a landmark decision for British farmers.
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Barnetts progress to next stage of training awards
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 27, 2007 6:45 AM
SOUTHPORT-based law firm Barnetts Solicitors has progressed into the regional stages of the National Training Awards, with the company said to have shown an “outstanding commitment to training and development”.
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Conveyancing firm's mortgage success
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 26, 2007 7:00 AM
LIVERPOOL company Goldsmith Williams has been named Conveyancer of the Year at the British Mortgage Awards.
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Halliwells acts for city's major banks
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 26, 2007 6:45 AM
Law firm Halliwells is now acting for all the major banks in Liverpool, after being appointed to Barclays' new lending and finance panel.
The prestigious appointment comes after a review by Barclays - one of the world's largest banks, with more than 350 lawyers across the globe and revenues in excess of £20b.
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DLA Piper staff land key roles on panels
Posted by David Higgerson on July 25, 2007 8:29 AM
LAWYERS at the Liverpool office of DLA Piper are celebrating securing a place on two panels which provide procurement advice to public sector organisations. The appointments allow the firm to compete for £500m of work over the next four years.
Under a scheme known as Catalist, advisory panels create framework documents such as standard contracts and are approved to work on individual projects.
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Liverpool set for lead role in high court action
Posted by David Higgerson on July 25, 2007 8:13 AM
A PLAYWRIGHT who claims a comedy drama series filmed and produced on Merseyside was her idea is to sue a well-known scriptwriter for “passing it off as her own”.
Bonkers, starring Liza Tarbuck, was filmed at locations around the Liverpool region and aired on ITV1 in February.
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OPINION: Clare Young - Ginger is the new ism
Posted by Legal Week Administrator on July 24, 2007 5:31 PM
FIRST it was sexism and racism, then ageism.
Now it seems a new ‘ism’ could be added to the list – gingerism.
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Liverpool lawyer produces new guide on discrimination
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 24, 2007 8:47 AM
A LIVERPOOL lawyer has published the latest edition of his guide on discrimination in the workplace.
The Equal Opportunities Handbook is written by Martin Edwards, head of employment law and human resources at Mace & Jones. It provides a 293-chapter A- Z checklist on potential grounds for discrimination – including obesity, offensive jokes and age.
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Pair win leading prize
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 24, 2007 8:43 AM
Caption: Satya Chotalia, Sir David Clarke and Sara Anzani
TWO law students from Liverpool John Moores University have won the prestigious National Mooting Competition for the first time in itsthe competition’s 35-year history.
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Warning over personal claims shake-up
Posted by David Higgerson on July 22, 2007 6:08 AM
A LIVERPOOL law firm has warned planned changes to the personal injury claims system will make it harder to bring action and create longer waits for compensation.
John Pickering & Partners LLP has made submissions to the government in response to a consultation about personal injury claims.
The consultation period closed last week for responses to the government’s consultation paper, “Case track limits and the claims process for personal injury claims.”
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Thompsons hailed in diversity league table
Posted by David Higgerson on July 22, 2007 5:12 AM
Thompsons has achieved a top six place in a ground breaking survey of national and international law firms’ records on diversity.
The Black Solicitors Network (BSN) Diversity League Table 2007 details the demographic trends of major law firms in respect of ethnicity and gender from paralegal to partner.
Thompsons, which has a base in Water Street, Liverpool, ranked 6th out of 81 firms which participated in the survey. We did particularly well in our gender profiles, with overall a higher proportion of women employed in the firm than men.
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BLOG: A Framework For Fairness?
Posted by Nicky Benson on July 20, 2007 5:08 PM
As many of you will be aware, the Government is committed to introducing a Single Equality Bill during this Parliament. There is currently a consultation period which will end on 4 September 2007.
The noble intention of the government to simplify the plethora of discrimination legislation can only be of benefit to both lawyers and clients alike – but why provide such a short period of consultation and have it coincide with the time when most interested parties (including overworked lawyers) are looking forward to a well-earned break?
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Personal injury firm celebrates 20 years
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 20, 2007 6:50 AM
NEWTON-LE- WILLOWS based law firm Michael W Halsall Solicitors celebrated their recent 20th anniversary with a birthday party at Knowsley Hall.
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Religious symbol cases likely to increase, say experts
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 20, 2007 6:45 AM
LEGAL cases involving religious dress and symbols are likely to become increasingly common over the next few years, discrimination experts have warned
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City solicitor takes top Law Society role
Posted by Deborah James on July 19, 2007 5:15 PM
LIVERPOOL solicitor Andrew Holroyd has been made the president of the Law Society of England and Wales.
Mr Holroyd, a partner and specialist in immigration and asylum issues at city centre firm Jackson and Canter, took office at the society’s annual general meeting in London yesterday.
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Blog: Specialisation - a good thing
Posted by Bill Braithwaite on July 18, 2007 1:43 PM
I get the impression that lawyers are becoming increasingly specialised. If so, I welcome the trend, because I sometimes see the result of non-specialist lawyers handling claims.
There are many ways in which we can specialise. It is common now for solicitors to do nothing but personal injury law, but it is rare for barristers to refine their work to that extent. I wonder why? Is it because we still think that advocacy is our specialty? If so, I would have thought that idea very out of date. Advocacy is a given, in all fields, and it should be accompanied by in-depth knowledge of the relevant topic. I would have thought that it is essential for personal injury lawyers to specialise in personal injury.
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Road traffic accident specialists create new team
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 18, 2007 6:45 AM
SOUTHPORT-based specialist road traffic accident and serious injury law firm Fletchers Solicitors has appointed Tracy Bond to head a newly created inception team.
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Liverpool - a city full of strengths
Posted by Clive Bleasdale on July 17, 2007 5:14 PM
There was some press coverage last week (10 July) about a relatively negative survey regarding Liverpool’s progress over the past few years. Comparisons have frequently been made with Manchester although frankly such comparisons are not a comparison of “like with like”.
Continue reading "Liverpool - a city full of strengths"
Legal seadogs claim race victory
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 17, 2007 11:07 AM
A SEAFARING team from Weightmans sailed to victory – in a yacht race sponsored by the firm itself.
Company partner Charlie Jones tasted victory in the recent Weightmans Lyver Trophy Yacht Race, which took in the Irish sea from Crosby to Howth, near Dublin.
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OPINION: BILL BRAITHWAITE, QC
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 17, 2007 11:02 AM
On changes to barristers’ dress
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Veteran lawyer rises to the top
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 17, 2007 10:59 AM
AS he becomes the president of the Law Society of England and Wales this week, the thing Andrew Holroyd will miss the most is his clients in Liverpool.
Mr Holroyd, a partner at Jackson and Canter, takes up the full-time post, which is based in London, on Thursday.
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Lawyers' fees 'swallowing up' NHS cash claim
Posted by David Higgerson on July 16, 2007 6:39 PM
MILLIONS of pounds of NHS cash meant for patient care on Merseyside is being used to cover the fees of lawyers pursuing medical negligence claims, it was claimed last night.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Post, the chief executive of the NHS Litigation Authority revealed his “very real concerns” at the growing amounts being spent to cover legal fees.
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Football legal team keeps winning
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 16, 2007 12:12 AM
NORTH WEST law firm Brabners Chaffe Street advised Wigan Athletic in a landmark case before FIFA involving defender Andrew Webster brought by his former club, Heart of Midlothian.
FIFA ordered Scotland international Webster to pay £625,000 in compensation and suspended him from playing for two weeks from the start of next season after he terminated his Hearts’ contract and joined Wigan. Wigan were cleared of any wrongdoing.
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Legal aid conference held in city
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 13, 2007 7:00 AM
THE incoming president of the National Law Society addressed a legal aid conference recently held in Liverpool.
A full house of Merseyside lawyers were in attendance at the Holiday Inn for the conference, which addressed the subject of the Carter Review – the future of legal aid and its impact on solicitors and legal representation for the public.
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Judges to keep traditional dress
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 13, 2007 6:45 AM
JUDGES and lawyers in criminal courts will keep their traditional wigs and gowns despite a review of legal dress which has taken four years to complete.
The Lord Chief Justice said there would be no change to the world famous 18th century-style costume in criminal courts, apart from abolishing seasonal variations in the robes of High Court judges.
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"Office warming" a success
Posted by Vicky Anderson on July 12, 2007 8:00 AM
Caption: Rachel Donovan, Catherine Seagraves, Rebecca Mitchell and Lynne Ainsworth enjoy the office warming
Goodmans Solicitor’s recently held an office warming party at their Waterloo branch, welcoming clients and neighbouring businesses and residents.
Guests were greeted with a Champagne reception before being given a tour of the new premises at Wellington House on St John’s Road, and then escorted to the temporary games room within the first floor office complete with roulette table.
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Atlantic Chambers on hand for mentoring scheme: Dear Vicky, thank you for sharing the good news ab
Legal aid fight for campaigner: I do agree very much with what Mrs campbell says h
Resolution's Liverpool chair backs Judge: Hasn't Mr. Justice Coleridge forgotten that part o
Collaborative law a "realistic alternative": Karen is right to highlight the advantages separa
Law Society backs "phone tap" evidence: I think phone tapping is a somewhat intrusive ende