Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Find another way to resolve dispute, High Court tells parties
The High Court has told parties to an intellectual property claim to find other ways to resolve their dispute in the light of the first three hearings all concerning costs and not the merits.
S&G refunds £4,000 deduction in latest Checkmylegalfees clash
The latest battle between Slater & Gordon and Checkmylegalfees.com has seen the law firm refund £4,000 it deducted from a client’s damages where he was signed up to a CFA 97 seconds after receiving it.
Judge slashes QC’s £110k brief fee for case that settled before trial
A costs judge has slashed the £110,000 brief fee sought by a claimant when his case settled nearly three weeks ahead of trial and before the QC had started preparing for it.
Costs judges “can deal with disputes” over law firm retainers
There is no need for a dispute over a law firm’s fees to be transferred from the Senior Courts Costs Office to the Chancery Division simply because it involves the validity of a retainer, a costs judge has ruled.
Appeal judges shut door on single-stage flight claims
The flight delay compensation industry has suffered a blow after appeal judges rejected a claim over a four-stage flight from the US to India that was delayed when leaving Heathrow.
City firm faces retrial of successful fees claim over pleadings failure
City law firm Charles Russell Speechlys is facing a retrial of a £50,000 claim for fees it thought it had won because it did not properly plead the existence of an implied retainer.
Supreme Court rejects barrister’s contempt of Supreme Court appeal
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a barrister against a £5,000 fine for contempt of court after he released a draft version of its ruling on the planned third runway for Heathrow airport.
Solicitor judge rejects recusal call based on professional ties
A solicitor High Court judge has rejected an application to recuse himself in a case against Simmons & Simmons made on the basis of his support for other solicitors and tenuous links to that firm.
High Court makes “first” compulsory ADR order in commercial case
A High Court master has made the first ever order for compulsory alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in commercial litigation, according to a City litigator.
HMCTS: Public prefers remote hearings but professionals see declining respect
Public users of the courts generally prefer remote to in-person hearings, but they have led to declining levels of respect, formality and concentration, according to government research.
Fixed costs extension set to happen in less than a year
The Ministry of Justice wants the extension of fixed recoverable costs across the fast-track and in most money cases worth up to £100,000 to take effect from October 2022, it has emerged.
Barrister’s winding-up petition over ‘loan’ for solicitors’ fees struck out
The High Court has struck out a barrister’s petition to wind up a company he said he loaned £30,000 so it could pay the solicitors he introduced to them.
Claimant liable for abuse of process after misusing online claim system
A claimant who filed a request for judgment on the Money Claim Online system, knowing the defendant’s alleged admission had not been made, has been found liable for the tort of abuse of process.
Covid not good enough reason for solicitors missing court deadline
The disruption caused by Covid last year was not a good enough excuse for a law firm missing a deadline to file amended particulars of claim by four months, the High Court has ruled.
Clients committed to jail for contempt over unpaid solicitors’ bills
Two clients who owe their solicitors £2.3m in outstanding fees, costs and interest have been committed to prison having been found guilty of 14 charges of contempt of court.
Blog
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
From ‘year zero’ to £6.5m – how a law firm found its second life
In 2018, I hit what I call ‘year zero’. On paper, Olliers Solicitors was a top-tier criminal defence firm but beneath the surface, I could see we were at a crossroads.
