Litigation/Dispute Resolution
CJC calls for “single digital court” to enforce judgments
The Civil Justice Council has called for a “single unified digital court” to enforce civil judgments, whether the judgment was obtained in the county court or High Court.
Solicitor who secured release of client’s money then breached rules
A solicitor who successfully released money frozen in a client’s bank account then broke the accounts rules by having it transferred into her firm’s client account.
Funder can be paid before CAT class members, appeal court rules
There is “nothing surprising or unusual” about the CAT ordering payment to litigation funders and lawyers from a damages award ahead of the class in collective actions.
Poor conduct of consumer claims “will see more firms collapse”
At least 15 consumer claims law firms have gone bust in the last five years owing more than £400m and poor practices in the sector will likely lead to more, a leading insurer has predicted.
“Logjam” of old High Court cases “blocking new disputes”
A “logjam” of old cases at the High Court, with more than a quarter of cases taking up to three years to resolve, could be the reason for a “slight drop-off” in new actions last year.
Chartered legal executives could get standalone litigation rights
CILEx Regulation has launched plans for chartered legal executives to obtain standalone rights to conduct litigation without having to seek rights of audience at the same time.
Gender disparity in publicly funded advocacy – only CPS making progress
Efforts by the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure it allocates work more equitably between the sexes are slowly bearing fruit, a new analysis has shown.
SRA: Claims firms “destabilised” by litigation funding deals
Relationships with litigation funders are destabilising some high-volume consumer claims law firms, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
DWF accused of data protection breaches in battle with claimant firm
Solicitors for leading insurers have been accused of data protection breaches in collating evidence about the way a North London firm pursued personal injury claims.
Lawyers and lenders agog as Supreme Court hears motor finance case
All eyes are on the Supreme Court this morning as it begins a three-day hearing on motor finance commissions that could open up or close down a major new source of legal work.
Judge attacks process-driven approach to credit hire claims
A senior district judge has again attacked credit hire claims, as well as a process-driven approach to bringing them, in a case where he awarded £1,200 for a claim valued at £50,200.
Oligarch’s ex-wife drops negligence claim against former solicitors
Top family law firm Payne Hicks Beach has expressed itself “pleased but not surprised” by the decision of a high-profile former client to drop her negligence action against it.
Ex-law firm owner obtains freezing order against successor
The High Court has issued a freezing order against the non-lawyer owner of a law firm the SRA shut down last year, at the behest of the solicitor who sold it to her.
Public would be “shocked” by how credit hire works, says judge
The public would be “shocked” to learn how the credit hire industry operates, a senior district judge has suggested in a case where he had to award £55,000 for an unnecessary 96-day car hire.
SRA: Law firm’s work for warlord was not improper
The SRA yesterday took the unusual step of setting out why it cleared the law firm which acted for Yevgeniy Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, of misconduct.
Blog
Is clients’ use of AI destroying legal privilege?
Much has been written about the risks of lawyers misusing AI. However, in my view, the greater challenge lies elsewhere: the routine use of AI by clients themselves.
Does the Lloyd review mark the end of the Legal Services Act?
The Legal Services Board often generates eye-rolls and irritation from the leaders of the frontline regulators it oversees and of the representative bodies attached to them.
A familiar story?
There is no doubt that the rising cost of clinical negligence claims deserves attention. However, the system’s true cost driver is often not the claim itself.
