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Jail for solicitor who plundered elderly client’s bank account
A solicitor struck off for “outrageous plundering” of the assets of an elderly client suffering from dementia has now been jailed for six years.
No retainer between law firm and businessman in £2.5m dispute
There was no express or implied retainer between a law firm and a businessman with a “colourful commercial career” suing it for £2.5m in damages, the High Court has ruled.
Consumers open to optional top-up cover to reduce cost of PII
Consumers are open to the idea of mandatory professional indemnity insurance cover being lower and therefore cheaper, with the option to top it up, research has suggested.
Charities and patient groups urge rethink on negligence costs plans
Nine charities and patients organisations have urged health secretary Sajid Javid to rethink plans to impose fixed costs on clinical negligence claims worth up to £25,000.
Lawyers limit community care cases “to help firms stay afloat”
Community care lawyers are limiting the amount and type of legal aid work they do to ensure that their firms remain financially viable. The field is also struggling with recruitment and retention.
PE-backed PI firm eyes stream of acquisitions after first deal
The biggest specialist personal injury firm in the country, owned by private equity since last October, has made the first in a regular series of acquisitions for the next few years.
Family misfortunes – Acting for relatives lands solicitors in hot water
Two solicitors have found themselves in regulatory bother because of the involvement of family in the matters they were dealing with, one a property purchase and the other a will.
Choosing London lawyers “does not guarantee” hearing in capital
The freedom of parties to choose their lawyers should not “transform into an ability to choose a venue”, a High Court judge has said in moving a judicial review hearing from London to Leeds.
Apology appeases court after yet another judgment embargo breach
The High Court has accepted an apology from a party which broke an embargo on a ruling, in the third such case in the space of just two months.
“Go big or go home” – PE-backed consolidator makes first acquisition
Fisher Jones Greenwood, an Essex law firm backed by private equity firm Blixt Group, has announced its first acquisition as part of their plan to create a £100m national law firm.
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Your website is losing clients before they even pick up the phone
Your website visitor is likely already carrying stress before they arrive. If your site adds to it rather than relieves it, you have likely lost a prospective client.
The growing importance of higher limits in personal ATE
While the personal litigation market is undergoing a period of significant change as claims become more complex, much of the ATE insurance market has remained relatively static.
The profession can play a greater role in improving access to justice
In this, the third blog of my series, I focus on what lawyers in the UK can do to improve access to justice through greater professional stewardship.
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