Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Home Office-funded collective action wins approval
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has granted the first public sector collective proceedings order, with the Home Office as litigation funder and largest class member.
Law firm that cited fake AI-generated cases to pay wasted costs
A law firm has been ordered to pay wasted costs after it cited two fictitious cases that were generated by artificial intelligence.
MoJ rejects MPs’ call for “root-and-branch review” of county courts
The government’s rejection of MPs’ call for an “urgent and comprehensive” review of the county court risks perpetuating a “dysfunctional” system, the justice select committee has warned.
Abuse survivors “should get legal aid to tackle SLAPPs”
Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in the UK should get legal aid to defend themselves against SLAPPs, a report has argued, calling also for more action by legal regulators.
Change CAT settlement rules so residual damages “must go to charity”
Competition Appeal Tribunal rules need to change so that a portion of unclaimed damages from collective actions go to charity when cases settle.
Court of Appeal keeps lawyer’s harassment claim against old firm alive
The Court of Appeal has given a lawyer the green light to challenge a decision to strike out his harassment claim against his former law firm.
Mazur: LSB to review past guidance issued on litigation rights
The LSB is to review how all the regulators and representative bodies have “ensured that information on conducting litigation was accurate and reliable”, in the wake of the Mazur ruling.
Law firm hits back after housing disrepair wasted costs order
A Liverpool law firm has hit back strongly after being criticised by a council which obtained a wasted costs order over its conduct of a housing disrepair claim.
Allegation over solicitor’s role in will “should never have been made”
An allegation that an old woman who owned a farm in Devon signed codicils under the undue influence of a solicitor “should never have been made”, a High Court judge has said.
Court of Appeal crushes challenge to advocates’ immunity
A high-powered Court of Appeal has overturned and completely rejected a High Court ruling that had opened a crack in advocates’ immunity.
Mazur: Non-authorised person “should not be client’s main contact”
Our round-up of developments on the Mazur ruling includes a warning that law firms should consider prohibiting non-authorised staff from being clients’ main point of contact.
Litigation partner’s errors “did not amount to misconduct”
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has dismissed all allegations against a commercial litigation partner whose “shortcomings did not amount to misconduct”.
FCA to steer motor finance consumers away from legal action
The Financial Conduct Authority is to discourage consumers from pursuing motor finance claims in court, even if they might recover more damages.
Law firm takes down Mazur advice after “unprofessional” responses
A Cardiff law firm criticised for offering to advise people on challenging their solicitors’ fees off the back of the Mazur ruling has removed its promotion of the service.
Four regulators team up to target motor finance law firms and CMCs
Four regulators have joined forces to tackle misleading advertising and inadequate information provided by some law firms and CMCs working on motor finance claims.
Blog
A letter from the SRA? Your first reaction matters
An email from the SRA has a way of rearranging a working day. It arrives in the same inbox as everything else, often in the same measured tone, yet it carries a different weight.
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.
Reports
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