Litigation/Dispute Resolution
CA urges sampling approach to deal with bill for “eye-watering” costs
The Court of Appeal has described the costs claimed in a high-profile claim as “eye-watering even by Commercial Court standards” and urged a sampling approach to their assessment.
Supreme Court boosts consumer firms eyeing business energy claims
Consumers claims law firms will be sizing up the business energy claims market after the Supreme Court allowed a key appeal on undisclosed commissions by consent.
CAT rejects relaxation of conflict of interest rule for panel members
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has decided against relaxing its conflict of interest rule for panel members and chairs, saying case-by-case recusals would not be a sufficient safeguard.
AI “enables smaller law firms to handle very large cases”
AI will “revolutionise” the way very large litigation cases are handled by allowing smaller firms to do the work, the chief executive of a Stafford-based practice has predicted.
In-house lawyers most concerned about AI-related disputes
Senior in-house lawyers and general counsel are most concerned about an increase in disputes relating to AI, and are increasing investment in their disputes teams, a report has found.
Law firm must pay costs for “dilatory and obstructive” behaviour
A London law firm has been ordered to pay costs to HMRC for the “dilatory and obstructive manner” in which it approached its challenge to a VAT demand.
Justice minister urges regulators to toughen up on CFAs
The government has told the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority of the need for “tougher, more consistent regulation of conditional fee agreements”.
National litigation practice bought by private equity house
A national practice best known for its credit hire work has become the latest addition to the ranks of law firms owned by private equity.
Mazur: Local government lawyers eye legislative change
The Lawyers in Local Government group is to seek “legislative clarification and reform” in response to the Mazur ruling, instead of intervening in the Court of Appeal
Foundation launches grant programme for class action proceeds
The Access to Justice Foundation has today announced a groundbreaking £3.9m grants programme mainly funded by unclaimed damages from a collective action.
Court issues restraint order over LiP’s pursuit of law firm
The High Court has imposed a civil restraint order on a litigant in person who made “numerous meritless applications” as part of a claim against his former solicitors.
Law firm granted injunction following major disclosure error
A London law firm has been granted an injunction for the return of thousands of confidential and privileged documents that it disclosed by mistake to the opposing side in litigation.
The new Mazur? ‘Solicitor agent’ does not have rights of audience
A so-called solicitor’s agent did not meet the Legal Services Act 2007 requirements for rights of audience, a district judge has ruled.
Fixed costs extension “has increased deductions from damages”
The continued push for fixed costs has resulted in more deductions from clients’ damages and raises questions about whether justice is being achieved.
Court of Appeal backs strike-out of £68m law firm negligence claim
The Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge to the striking out of £68m negligence claim against Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett following a failed property development schemes.
Blog
From text to world: The legal significance of multimodal AI
The next phase of AI, already underway, will integrate text with vision, sound, motion and even touch. This will produce systems that no longer ‘read about’ the world but perceive it.
The new leaders of law
Where once many law firm owners remained technology sceptics, a growing number are now shaped by leaders who are digitally fluent and commercially oriented.
Managing lock-up, cash flow and billing inefficiencies better
If law firms view lock-up, cash flow and billing processes as key indicators of financial performance – and therefore risk – they can identify problems early.
