Litigation/Dispute Resolution
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.
Barrister’s witness statement transcription tool trained in legal English
The first transcription tool specifically designed for witness statements has been launched this summer, after the AI was trained to cope with legal language such as “my learned friend”.
Multi-billion-pound class actions target video games and cryptocurrency
Two giant opt-out actions have been filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal, claiming billions of pounds in damages on behalf of users of Sony PlayStation video games and cryptocurrency investors.
Sunak pledges crackdown on JR “lawfare” and “judicial recidivism”
Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak yesterday pledged to crack down on “lawfare” and “judicial recidivism” with a focus on standing to bring judicial reviews.
Post Office inquiry chair urges higher legal fees for compensation advice
It is “essential” that sub-postmasters claiming on one of the compensation schemes following the Horizon scandal can recover their legal costs, the chair of the Post Office scandal enquiry said yesterday.
Scottish court: Injured woman cannot recover English solicitors’ costs
A Scottish woman injured in a car accident in France who sued the motorist’s insurer in Scotland acted unreasonably in instructing English solicitors, the Scottish High Court has ruled.
Vodafone becomes first client to join Greener Litigation movement
Vodafone has become the first client to sign up to Greener Litigation, joining law firms, chambers and others in committing to reduce the environmental impact of dispute resolution.
Court of Appeal: No implied duty of good faith in solicitor’s retainer
There is no implied duty of good faith in a solicitor’s retainer, the Court of Appeal has ruled in rejecting an appeal by a law firm trying to recover £3m in fees from a former client.
Claim against law firm lost by court still thrown out for late service
The High Court has upheld a decision to throw out a negligence claim against a law firm because it was served too late – even though the court had actually lost the claim.
Judge overrides Essex firm’s objections to move case to Leeds
The liaison judge for the Administrative Court in the north has rejected an appeal from an Essex law firm that said it was not “convenient” for a case to be transferred from London to Leeds.
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.
