Litigation/Dispute Resolution
New barrister-run litigation firm chooses SRA regulation
An alternative business structure specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration and led by barristers has opted for regulation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Leading litigation loan provider owes backer £43m, administrators reveal
Affiniti Finance – which lent money to thousands of law firm clients – went into administration late last year after a breakdown in the relationship with its ultimate backer, which is now owed £43m.
Find another way to resolve dispute, High Court tells parties
The High Court has told parties to an intellectual property claim to find other ways to resolve their dispute in the light of the first three hearings all concerning costs and not the merits.
S&G refunds £4,000 deduction in latest Checkmylegalfees clash
The latest battle between Slater & Gordon and Checkmylegalfees.com has seen the law firm refund £4,000 it deducted from a client’s damages where he was signed up to a CFA 97 seconds after receiving it.
Judge slashes QC’s £110k brief fee for case that settled before trial
A costs judge has slashed the £110,000 brief fee sought by a claimant when his case settled nearly three weeks ahead of trial and before the QC had started preparing for it.
Costs judges “can deal with disputes” over law firm retainers
There is no need for a dispute over a law firm’s fees to be transferred from the Senior Courts Costs Office to the Chancery Division simply because it involves the validity of a retainer, a costs judge has ruled.
Appeal judges shut door on single-stage flight claims
The flight delay compensation industry has suffered a blow after appeal judges rejected a claim over a four-stage flight from the US to India that was delayed when leaving Heathrow.
City firm faces retrial of successful fees claim over pleadings failure
City law firm Charles Russell Speechlys is facing a retrial of a £50,000 claim for fees it thought it had won because it did not properly plead the existence of an implied retainer.
Supreme Court rejects barrister’s contempt of Supreme Court appeal
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a barrister against a £5,000 fine for contempt of court after he released a draft version of its ruling on the planned third runway for Heathrow airport.
Solicitor judge rejects recusal call based on professional ties
A solicitor High Court judge has rejected an application to recuse himself in a case against Simmons & Simmons made on the basis of his support for other solicitors and tenuous links to that firm.
Blog
Regulate sole practices on evidence, not turnover
For a sole practice, the SRA’s plan that I cannot hold a compliance role if my firm has more than £600,000 of turnover is not a measure of risk. It is a ceiling on growth.
Is Google becoming pay-to-play for law firms?
For years, law firms have been told that SEO is the long-term alternative to paying for every click. That principle hasn’t disappeared but search results have changed significantly.
Material information and the case for intelligent client onboarding
Upfront information means work traditionally undertaken after an offer is accepted will need to happen earlier. And that fundamentally changes the role of client onboarding.
Reports
Associates
