Results tagged “law society” from LDP - The Legal Week

After this story in today's LDP Legal in the Daily Post, the Ministry of Justice has abandoned plans for Best Value Tendering for legal aid.

It follows threats by the Law Society to start judicial review proceedings against the Government to try to force it to back down.

A Law Society statement reads: "The Law Society welcomes the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) decision inviting the Legal Services Commission (LSC) not to proceed with its planned pilots for Best Value Tendering (BVT).

THE LAW Society has warned that the criminal justice system will be "pushed to breaking point" by Chancellor Alistair Darling's plans to slash £360m from the system, including the already stretched legal aid budget.

Today's pre-budget report includes plans to make "savings in the Criminal Justice System by improving case management, putting underperforming or expensive public sector prisons out to competition during 2010-11, and reforming legal aid".

The move has prompted the Society to warn that further cuts to an already crippled criminal justice system will impact on access to justice.

THE Co-op today came under fire from the Law Society for putting sole practioners "at risk of closure".

The society says up to 3,600 firms could go to the wall after being taken off a Co-operative Financial Services' (CFS) conveyancing panel.

It adds if other banks and building societies follow suit the society warns "access to justice in small towns and rural areas could be severly damaged".

THE LAW Society is recommending divorcing couple's follow the lead of TV celebrities Katie Price and Peter Andre by seeking expert legal advice from specialist family law solicitors to achieve the best possible outcome for both parties.

The advice comes as many couples are reaching breaking point due to pressures related the economic downturn.

The Law Society is advising anyone facing the prospect of divorce to seek expert legal advice from a specialist family law solicitor.

Katie - who is also known as glamour model Jordan - and Peter were granted a quickie divorce in London's High Court three weeks ago. (For news story, click here.)

JUNIOR lawyers worried about their next career steps had a crisis meeting with senior industry figures last week.

They are concerned the bleak economic outlook and an increase in graduates means getting a job is harder than ever.

After leaving university and law school, many budding lawyers are shouldering debts of up to £30,000.

THE Law Society of England and Wales has taken the unexpected step of warning prospective students against a career in law.

It says it's running an information campaign "to caution people considering a career in law as to the risks in terms of time and cost that this decision carries with it".

A Law Society spokesperson said: "Working closely with the Junior Lawyers Division the Society is looking to inform and educate those considering a career as a solicitor to think long and hard about the commitment it requires to succeed - particularly in the face of increased competition.

LAW Society of England and Wales chief executive Desmond Hudson says firms should go green to cut costs.

WITH recent estimates suggesting that two internet searches through Google produce the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle one could be forgiven for discarding any hopes of saving the planet and assuming we're all doomed.

The discovery comes amid increasing warnings about the little-known environmental impact of computer and internet use and adds to the pressure that companies are under to reduce their carbon footprint.

THE LAW Society says it "warmly welcomes" the appointment of solicitor David Latham to the role of President of Employment Tribunals

His appointment, it added, should "set an example for the profession's judicial ambitions".

Law Society President, Paul Marsh, said:

"We congratulate Mr Latham on his appointment to this senior judicial role and hope this fuels the aspirations of other solicitors to seek appointment to the bench.

THE TWINNING of Liverpool Law Society with its Mombasa counterpart moved a step closer last week.

A delegation from the city have returned from a fact-finding trip to the Kenyan port.

Led by Liverpool Law Society (LLS) President Anne Heseltine the group met with senior members of the Mombasan judiciary and city's mayor.

THE LAW Society has spoken out against an attempt by barristers to maintain the "indefensible discrimination" between barristers and solicitor-advocates in family legal aid cases.

Barristers are paid more than their solicitor counterparts for advocacy, the society says, even though they perform the same role. The Law Society is supporting moves by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) towards harmonisation between fees paid to solicitors and barristers for the same work.

LAWYERS have less than two weeks to nominate themselves for some of the profession's most sought-after awards.

The closing date for entries to the Law Society Excellence Awards is next Friday.

Legal professionals are being encouraged to put themselves forward to gain recognition as "outstanding practioners" in their field.

ANNIE Leaker, solicitor at Jackson & Canter, has become the second member of the firm's family department to be made a member of the Law Society Childrens' Panel.

She joins Andrew Gillespie who was made a member earlier in the year.