Results tagged “Weightmans” from LDP - The Legal Week

WEIGHTMANS, which has offices in Liverpool's India Building, today release their half year results.

In a statement, the firm said: "With half year results up by over 5%, Weightmans remains on target to improve on last years' £52 million turnover.

"After reaching £25.2m from May 1 to October 31, 2009, Weightmans is ahead of last year's H1 of £23.9m and managing partner, Patrick Gaul is optimistic that the firm can achieve its annual fee income target of £57m."

THERE is constant discussion as to whether we can call "the bottom of the property market" and with significant uncertainty still in the market it's a very difficult call to make.

But we have seen increasing signs of clients willing again to invest which suggests there may be profit to be made which is some change from the trend over past months.

A very significant and successful London based operator in the national property market said recently history has shown that residential property has, on average, risen between 6% and 7% per annum for the past 50 years, despite big ups and horrible downs. My experience over the last 25 years reflects that and it is a statement of fact.

Clive Bleasdale discusses commercial tenancy agreements in the current market.

THE MAJORITY of retailers are struggling with business in the current climate and an increasing number would like to pay rent on a monthly rather than quarterly basis.

Landlords have been getting nervy at the prospect and at the moment a question I'm being asked a lot is if a landlord has flatly refused such a request, is there any legal challenge that can be brought?

So if you are a retailer in this situation, it is worth considering the following advice.

Charlie Jones launches Liverpool Law Society's Legal Awards, 2009

LIVERPOOL'S Law Society today launches its second biannual Legal
Awards.

At a glittering ceremony planned for June, Merseyside's top legal professionals will be praised for their "excellence".

Charlie Jones, president of Liverpool Law Society and a partner at Weightmans, told LDP Legal: "Two years ago we had the first legal awards ceremony and dinner in Liverpool, run by Liverpool Law Society. The idea of that was to celebrate the excellence of Liverpool lawyers and the
excellence of the work done in Liverpool - and it was a resounding success.

David Hewitt says he is confused.gov

In adult protection, the notion of "vulnerability" is key.

For a decade now, the No secrets guidance has provided a workable definition but the government wants to review both the guidance and the definition, and it no longer seems satisfied that 'vulnerable' does a proper job.

But that is as nothing compared to the confusion that is at the heart of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Andrew Cox on the pitfalls of witnesses giving false statements in civil cases.

THE recent case of KJM Superbikes Ltd v Hinton [2008] is a warning to witnesses who knowingly give false statements in civil cases, and a reminder to solicitors to inform their witnesses of the importance of signing a statement of truth.

Giving false evidence carries grave consequences, and the impact of signing a statement of truth, which must be included in witness statements under the Civil Procedure Rules, should be given close and careful consideration.

In this case, the Court of Appeal allowed contempt of court proceedings to be brought against Mr Hinton.

VETERAN Merseyside lawyer Charlie Jones will be the next president of Liverpool Law Society (LLS).

The Weightmans partner vowed to devote time to championing Liverpool's lawyers.

He also said LLS should boost its work in Wirral to raise awareness among the borough's legal community.

THE COMMERCIAL Recovery team at Weightmans has been appointed by international debt purchasing giant Arrow Global.

Large scale sales of consumer debts by financial institutions, utilities and telecom companies in Europe and Asia have fuelled the growth of Arrow Global's business and Jill Cox, Head of Commercial Recoveries at Weightmans, is enthusiastic about the potential of the new deal.

She said: "Arrow Global is an international player in this field and a welcome addition to our client base.

WEIGHTMANS has launched a new practical reference tool aimed at all those involved with disease claims.

Disease-i is aimed at claims handlers, employers who wish to broaden their knowledge of diseases and intermediaries who need to bring themselves quickly up-to-speed with current issues.

It is the brainchild of Jim Byard, partner in Weightmans Dedicated Disease Unit.

LIVERPOOL law firm Weightmans have described their half year results as "solid".

The firm recorded turnover of £24m between May 1 and October 31, 2008. Last year Weightmans turnover totalled £50m after recording half year results of £22.6m.

Commenting on the firm's financial performance, managing partner Patrick Gaul said:
"We have increased overall production as compared to this time last year by 9% and all our core practice areas are performing well."

LIVERPOOL lawyers have welcomed the decision not to publish complaints made against solicitors.

Industry body the Legal Complaints Service (LSC) last week announced it was stepping back from plans to put complaints in the public domain.

The LSC said it could not find a scheme that was both "equitable" to both customers and solicitors.

AS THE 2008 Culture Year progresses towards its close I took myself to the Everyman this week to see an excellent play based around the era of the club Eric's in Matthew Street which I frequented in my 'teens (along with the Everyman.)

An excellent production with an ageless plot and those who have been or intend to go will relate easily to it.

Eric's has become the talk of legend in some ways, but there is no doubt it formed the nucleus for some key bands of recent decades and played a significant part in peoples lives at its time.

Law firm Weightmans has retained a record number of trainee solicitors on completion of their training contract, appointing 13 trainees as solicitors.

In what has proved to be an already promising year for the firm, which posted 14% growth in June, ambitions remain high.

Partner and Training Principal Andrew Cox, commented: "I'm delighted that we have retained 81% of our newly qualified trainees. It is a testament not only to the quality of the training we provide but also to our strong financial performance.

Sean Crotty on why file sharers should beware

NOT BEFORE time, the wild west nature of the internet and file sharing is being tamed bit by bit.

Recently, an English court ordered that a woman who illegally downloaded a video game from a file sharing website should pay £16,000 to the copyright holder of the video game.

Many commentators believe that this is the thin end of the wedge, as the court's decision is likely to be one of many since the music, film and video game industries have commenced battle with illegal downloaders.

LAWYERS across Merseyside are railing against a move that could see complaints against solicitors made public.

The Legal Complaints Service (LCS), the independant body that hears complaints about solicitors, will hold a board meeting tomorrow (Weds, Sept 10) to discuss publishing complaints.

But the city's lawyers say naming and shaming those who receive complaints would provoke "unintended consequences" and would be "crude and unfair" to lawyers.