Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Claimant to pay indemnity costs after latest witness statement failure
The High Court has ordered a claimant who seriously breached the rules on witness statements to pay indemnity costs, having exacerbated the situation by dismissing the defendant’s concerns.
Litigation funder’s share price slumps after adverse High Court ruling
Shares in specialist insolvency litigation funder Manolete Partners slumped by 15% on Friday in the wake of a “rare” adverse High Court ruling and concerns over the wider economy.
Solicitors cannot use lien to block disclosure of file in negligence claim
A law firm being sued by for negligence cannot use its lien over a file for unpaid fees to overcome its obligation to disclose the file to its former client, the High Court has ruled.
Firm had no duty to advise prospective client before CFA was signed
Leading law firm Irwin Mitchell was not under a duty to advise a prospective client to notify their travel agent about an accident on holiday until the retainer was signed, the High Court has ruled.
Time taken to get civil cases to trial reaches all-time high
The time between issue and trial for fast- and multi-track claims has hit 75 weeks, the longest this century, according to government figures published yesterday.
Need for specialist IP solicitors meets new “clear and compelling” costs test
A party that needed specialist intellectual property advice was justified in using lawyers who charged significantly above the guideline hourly rates, the High Court has decided.
Firm fails in bid for injunction to stop use of letter it disclosed in error
The High Court has refused a leading law firm an injunction to stop an opposing party making a use of a document it disclosed by mistake that cast doubt on an expert’s independence.
High Court strikes out LiP’s “vexatious” fraud claim against solicitor
The High Court has struck out a “vexatious” and “abusive” fraud claim by a litigant in person, seeking £160,000 in damages from a solicitor over a 17-year-old property dispute.
SRA set to curb litigators’ use of ‘private and confidential’ letters
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to issue guidance on when litigators are allowed to label letters as ‘private and confidential’ and/or ‘without prejudice’.
Court throws out £1.3m claim against City firm over service failure
The High Court has thrown out a negligence claim for almost £1.3m served on a City law firm after the time limit for service had expired.
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
