Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Litigation funding agreements are DBAs, Supreme Court rules
Agreements with third-party litigation funders are damages-based agreements, the Supreme Court said today in a ruling likely to invalidate almost all existing arrangements.
Government to introduce compulsory mediation for small claims
The Ministry of Justice is to introduce compulsory mediation for small claims valued up to £10,000, starting with specified money claims.
MoJ increasing new fixed costs to reflect high rate of inflation
The Ministry of Justice is to increase the new fixed recoverable costs coming into force on 1 October to take account of the high rate of inflation, and is consulting on other changes.
It is also consulting on a range of further changes to the regime
Law firm’s “implausible” €1.4bn claim against bank thrown out
The High Court has granted a leading bank summary judgment on an “inherently implausible” €1.4bn (£1.2bn) claim for an introduction fee brought by a US law firm.
Legal expenses giant to buy rival and its ABS
Two of the leading names in legal expenses insurance are coming together after ARAG Group agreed a deal to buy DAS UK, including its law firm.
Diesel claim clients unhappy as firm corrects fees “error” in paperwork
Class action firm Pogust Goodhead has had to write to the 1.8m clients of its MyDieselClaim brand to correct a “typographical error” in its paperwork about the cap on its fees.
Barrister’s advice “not complete defence” in law centre negligence case
A master was wrong to find that a law centre’s reliance on advice from a specialist barrister merited summary judgment on a negligence claim against it, the High Court has ruled.
Listed legal business sells litigation funding arm for £3m
Listed legal business RBG Holdings has sold its litigation funding arm for up to £3.1m, having last year had to write off £4m after two of the cases it invested in were lost.
Court refuses to grant law firm injunction against departed solicitor
The High Court has refused to grant a law firm an injunction to prevent a departing solicitor from trying to entice any of its clients away for two years.
Contractor claims specialist ABS aims to “open floodgates”
The legal director of a new ABS specialising in cases for people classed as contractors says he hopes litigation brought by the firm in the next few months will “open the floodgates” to more claims.
Much still to do, but little money left: MPs savage court modernisation
HM Courts & Tribunals Service has “burned through” almost all of the budget for the court modernisation programme with almost half of it as yet incomplete, MPs have found.
High Court boost for costs lawyers as new way to qualify goes live
The first course offering the new way to qualify as a costs lawyer has begun admitting students in the wake of comments from a High Court master praising the contribution of costs lawyers.
SRA’s unlimited fining power will apply to SLAPPs, minister confirms
A new power for the Solicitors Regulation Authority to levy unlimited fines in cases of economic crime will extend to SLAPPs, the government has confirmed.
Different rules on draft judgment embargoes “totally unacceptable”
The “inexplicable differences” in the embargo rules for draft rulings in the King’s Bench Division, Family Division and Crown Court are “completely unacceptable”, a High Court judge has said.
Court fines US lawyers who cited fake cases produced by ChatGPT
Two lawyers who unwittingly submitted fake cases generated by ChatGPT to support their claim have been fined by a New York court because they “abandoned their responsibilities”.
Blog
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
