August 2007 Archives
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Barnetts create new role to take the company forward
Posted by Deborah James on August 31, 2007 8:11 AM
BARNETTS Solicitors has appointed Michael Weightman as operations manager to oversee the teams of people and the processes in place at the company.
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Ex-judge calls for 'more action, less talk'
Posted by Deborah James on August 31, 2007 6:52 AM
A former Liverpool district judge has called for ‘more action and less talk’ from police and politicans in an attempt to reduce crime.
Paul Firth, writing in a Yorkshire newspaper, said that the Government needs to start convincing people that convicting people of crimes is its priority, and not simply manipulating crime statistics.
He said: "The murder of young Rhys Jones is the seventh fatal shooting on Merseyside in just over a year.
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July 7 bombing victims appeal for inquiry
Posted by Deborah James on August 31, 2007 6:09 AM
LEGAL action has been launched against the Government by victims of the July 7 bombings.
A lawyer for bereaved relatives and survivors of the 2005 atrocities has applied for a judicial review of the Government’s refusal to hold a full review into the handling of the 2005 atrocities.
The group said they were “disappointed and saddened”, and now felt compelled to go to court in their campaign for an independent public inquiry.
Among the victims of the bombings were Andy Brown from Wirral, who lost both his legs in one of the Tube attacks.
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Judge Mental: Woof Justice
Posted by Judge Mental on August 31, 2007 12:54 AM
As the great Gallic philosopher and author Albert Camus said in his celebrated essay The Rabid Generation, “I love animals, especially canines. And especially canine dogs.” Of course, this comes out much better when said in Albert’s native French while waving a Gauloise, wearing an onion necklace and reeking of garlic. The Absurd-obsessed Camus also went on to write about the meaninglessness of
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Halliwells looks to the Far East
Posted by Deborah James on August 30, 2007 8:03 AM
A LIVERPOOL law firm Halliwells is setting its sights on the far east after recruiting two members of staff who will be based in China.
The company, based in Old Hall Street, has taken on two consultants in Shanghai to seek out companies which either want to float on London's stock exchange or which are hoping to expand into Europe.
The pair will also advise British companies looking to expand into China.
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Blog: Horror reduces me to tears
Posted by Helen Broughton on August 29, 2007 5:23 PM
I am so saddened and angry this week that I am not sure where my blog is going!
I returned from my holiday to read and see about the senseless killing of Rhys Jones.
I am reduced to tears at this horror of just sending your boy out for a football match and him not coming home, the horror of the lack of responsibility of the community where the killers live, and indeed, the horror of society at large that we have allowed it all to happen.
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Remember what you did last summer?
Posted by Clive Bleasdale on August 29, 2007 11:04 AM
I have just returned from two weeks in Lagos in the Algarve. This is a part of the Algarve Coast which reminds me of Albufeira 30 years ago when it was relatively unspoilt and undeveloped. It is also a town only 10 minutes away from Praia da Luz where Madeleine McCann disappeared. Having three young children to look after on holiday and with the profile of the ongoing search very much in the local media hearing on the news just prior to our return about the sad shooting in Croxteth Park of Rhys Jones brought matters regarding the day to day safety of our younger generation firmly into focus.
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Lawyers help overturn competition commission ruling
Posted by Deborah James on August 29, 2007 8:40 AM
CORPORATE lawyers in Liverpool have helped get clearance from the Competition Commission for the merger of the UK’s two leading steel drum producers.
US-based Greif, which has its main UK headquarters in Ellesmere Port, originally had its bid to take over the Manchester manufacturing facilities of Blagden Packaging Group, provisionally blocked by the CC.
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Warning over changes to powers of attorney
Posted by Deborah James on August 28, 2007 6:30 PM
WILLS and probate specialists across Merseyside are warning clients about a forthcoming change in the law affecting powers of attorney.
They are advising people to act now to arrange an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) before its replacement Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) comes in in October as part of the new Mental Capacity Act.
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Employers could face action over tests
Posted by Deborah James on August 28, 2007 8:33 AM
EXPERTS have warned that employers could face legal action for asking job applicants to take basic reading and writing tests, following a landmark legal case which ruled mild forms of dyslexia should be considered a disability.
Dyslexia affects about 10% of the population and it is estimated about 3m of Britain’s workforce may suffer from the disorder. Legal specialists said employers should be “extremely cautious” if using literacy and numeracy tests in recruiting.
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Opinion: Sue Russell
Posted by Deborah James on August 28, 2007 8:31 AM
ON OCTOBER 1, 2007, the new provisions in the Companies Act 2006 will come into force.
Part of the Act contains the new statement of the “seven director’s duties”.
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City solicitor takes to the field in new role
Posted by David Higgerson on August 24, 2007 12:18 PM
A WELL-KNOWN Liverpool solicitor has become the chief executive of Chester City Fooball Club.
Alan Middleton, senior partner at Middleton and Co solicitors based in Temple Court, will also be a member of the board at the League Two club.
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Judge Mental: Someone has been 'court' out
Posted by Legal Week Administrator on August 24, 2007 6:25 AM
Football is more important than life and death. I think it was Ken Dodd who said that.
Well, you got that right Doddy and in court it’s just the same.
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Leaked email could lead to city council legal action
Posted by Deborah James on August 23, 2007 7:39 AM
THE embattled chief executive of Liverpool's Culture Company could have a good case for unfair or constructive dismissal as a result of a leaked email, legal experts have said.
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How the Eddie Stobart deal was struck
Posted by Deborah James on August 23, 2007 7:01 AM
Last week, the famous Eddie Stobart haulage firm merged with logistics firm Westbury, which has a large base in Runcorn.
Jonathan Brown, a partner at Halliwells, worked around the clock to ensure the deal came to pass, and recorded his working day for the Liverpool Daily Post's Businessweek supplement.
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BLOG: Come on ref!
Posted by Mark Goodwin on August 22, 2007 4:13 PM
It was never a penalty at Anfield at the weekend. Andy Gray got it right when he called the decision "farcical". Video replays clearly show there was no foul so if ever there was a good argument for the use of technology in football then this was it.
Although the red half of Merseyside wasn't complaining when Steven Gerrard picked himself up from an equally dubious foul the week before to stroke home a match winning free kick.
These things tend to even themselves out over the season and they are part and parcel of football so relying on technology for every decision would no doubt kill the beautiful game.
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Blog: A bit of a do
Posted by Phil Rees-Roberts on August 22, 2007 1:42 PM
Its been said that if you spend all day in the kitchen, doing your best to be Gordon Ramsay, chances are you won’t end up enjoying the meal you’ve laboured to create.
Is it a bit like that with throwing a party? Organising my practice’s recent fifth birthday bash has given me cause to wonder.
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Weightmans wins praise for diversity
Posted by Deborah James on August 22, 2007 1:24 PM
WEIGHTMANS has secured a top five ranking in the diversity league table run by the Black Solicitors Network.
The table, which is endorsed by The Law Society, the Commission for Racial Equality and Justice Minister Bridget Prentice ranks firms on the basis of their number of ethnic minority and female partners, associates, trainees and paralegals.
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School secures Mersey first with legal course
Posted by Deborah James on August 22, 2007 12:25 PM
BROADGREEN High School and Sixth Form College has become first on Merseyside to be accredited to run the Institute of Legal Executives professional diploma in law course.
The course is designed to prepare students who may considering a career in law or working in the legal profession, and is a recognised legal qualification and the first step on the road to becoming a lawyer.
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Lawyers to speed up house sales
Posted by Deborah James on August 21, 2007 9:00 AM
A NEW lawyers’ group dedicated to conveyancing issues is holding an event at Aintree Racecourse tonight.
Eleven independent local solicitors from Sefton, Merseyside, have set up The North West Solicitors Association (NWSA) to tackle the issues associated with moving home and to reduce conveyancing times.
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Walker Smith Way recruit two more
Posted by Deborah James on August 21, 2007 8:56 AM
A FORMER head of tax for the sole surviving private deposit bank in the UK is one of two newcomers to an expanding Chester law firm.
Walker Smith Way has recruited tax and trusts manager Dawn Whalley, along with legal assistant Rachael Lainton, to its growing wills, trusts and probate department.
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Chambers to host conference
Posted by Deborah James on August 21, 2007 8:52 AM
A WIDE-RANGING conference on all aspects of insurance fraud has been organised by a Liverpool barristers’ chambers.
In the first such event of its kind to be organised by a chambers in the city, 150 delegates including solicitors, insurers, claims investigators and barristers have been invited to attend the one-day conference at Liverpool town hall on October 18.
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Opinion: Jonathan Brown
Posted by Deborah James on August 21, 2007 8:47 AM
So what are the advantages of reverse takeovers, and are we likely to see more in the future?
As well as the normal advantages of any acquisition such as synergies and costs savings, a reverse takeover will always have significant commercial advantages.
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Chinese delegates visit firm
Posted by Vicky Anderson on August 20, 2007 6:45 AM
THE data management technology used by Liverpool-based law firm Goldsmith Williams has attracted international attention, as China’s largest producer of petrochemicals visited the company for a best-practice conference.
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Blog: I will be try to be more controversial
Posted by Legal Week Administrator on August 18, 2007 11:02 PM
Helen [Broughton] is still away pursuing her dreams and so I am once again given the honour of writing her blog. For those who did not get to read the last blog, I am Charles Millett and specialise in employment law at Morecrofts. Last week I promised that I would be more controversial in my next blog. So if you are easily offended, please stop reading now.
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Chester win for DLA Piper
Posted by Legal Week Administrator on August 17, 2007 7:48 AM
The Liverpool office of DLA Piper has continued to expand its local authority client base after winning places on three legal advice panels for Chester City Council.
The wins mean the Liverpool team will now act on the council’s newly formed litigation panel as well as being re-appointed to its existing Property and Planning panels.
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Judge Mental: Bring back Denis
Posted by Legal Week Administrator on August 17, 2007 7:34 AM
The Daily Post's new blogger Judge Mental has just dispatched another briefing from inside Liverpool Crown Court. Here it is:
All that crazy talk about aliens landing, Daleks and Davros last week got me thinking. It was a nice feeling, if a little strange.
On to this week’s thrilling instalment from inside the, um, bowels of Liverpool Crown Court. Yes, the football season’s just kicked off and court was all a flutter this week with the grunts and squeals of the annual ushers versus barristers kick-about in the corridors using a much missed judge’s wig as a ball. It wasn’t on his head at the time, which was a pity.
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Employment lawyer warns of new green regulations
Posted by Vicky Anderson on August 16, 2007 6:45 AM
AN employment law expert is warning businesses that new regulations mean they have legal responsibilities for reducing their carbon footprint.
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The Curse of The Raspberry
Posted by Mark Goodwin on August 15, 2007 1:52 PM
August is supposed to be the quietest month…when the business community takes a collective pause for breath and big decisions are put off until everyone has returned from holidays.
I was starting to believe it myself this year. I noticed fewer phone calls and, arriving at work, was greeted by a handful of emails instead of the usual stacked inbox.
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Independent solicitors form new association
Posted by Deborah James on August 15, 2007 8:22 AM
Independent local solicitors across Merseyside have joined forces to set up The North West Solicitors Association (NWSA) to tackle the issues associated with moving home and to reduce conveyancing transaction times.
The 11 Merseyside firms that make up the consortium aim to act as a single point of contact to correctly inform the public about all conveyancing issues, HIPs and protect independent legal and property professionals in the process.
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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