Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Appeal judges reject “binary” approach to negligence claim
The Court of Appeal has rejected as “too binary” the approach taken by a High Court judge when striking out a negligence claim against lawyers over their former client’s capacity to litigate.
Government promises “integrated online dispute resolution”
More “innovative technologies” and an “integrated online dispute resolution process” have been promised by the Ministry of Justice in a fresh bid to reduce the amount of litigation.
Court to tackle law firm’s authority to act in Nigerian oil spill case
The question of whether listed law firm Rosenblatt has authority to act for 27,380 claimants and 479 communities taking action against Shell “must be grappled with”, the High Court judge ruled.
Civil Justice Council pushes ahead with guideline hourly rates changes
The Civil Justice Council working group charged with reviewing the guideline hourly rates has doubled down on its interim recommendations following consultation.
Evaluation of flexible court hours stresses need to get lawyers onboard
Flexible operating hours can make it easier for people to access civil and family justice, but there needs to a lot more work to bring solicitors and barristers on board, research has said.
High Court warns uncooperative parties against “litigation warfare”
A High Court judge has warned against “litigation warfare” as he pleaded with the parties in a construction dispute to co-operate in the face of spiralling costs.
Court of Appeal revives “unmanageable” £5bn class action
A decision to strike out an “unmanageable” £5bn group action brought by 200,000 claimants over a dam collapse in Brazil can be appealed, the Court of Appeal has decided.
MPs urge complete overhaul of both civil and criminal legal aid
MPs have called for an extension of the court duty solicitor scheme for housing possession cases to other areas of civil justice where there are “significant numbers” of litigants in person.
Fears about using judicial data to predict judges’ actions “exaggerated”
Access to judicial data should be made easier to increase public trust, while fears it will be used to create accurate predictions of what judges will do are overblown, a seminar heard last week.
Call for law to enforce undertakings given by incorporated law firms
Parliament should extend the courts’ supervisory jurisdiction over solicitors’ undertakings to cover those given by incorporated law firms, particularly LLPs, the Supreme Court said today.
Blog
How does the legal profession become neuroinclusive?
My learning journey as mum to an autistic son with profound additional needs completely changed the way in which I work as a child protection lawyer.
The real cure for inequality at law firms? Listening
How can men, as one male panellist put it, “get out of the way of people coming up through the ranks?”
Most of these conversations only happen after the men leave the room.
Andy Burnham and the Hillsborough Law: should solicitors be worried?
Now that Andy Burnham has become prime minister, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, otherwise known as the Hillsborough Law, will receive a real boost of political capital.
