Litigation/Dispute Resolution
Vos issues stern warning to chambers and law firms about embargoes
The Court of Appeal has issued a stern warning about breaking embargoes on judgments after a leading chambers accidentally issued a press release a day before the ruling was handed down.
Press panel pleads with government to introduce legal costs incentive
The government’s failure to commence legislation on costs in libel and other publication proceedings is denying members of the public justice, the Press Recognition Panel has argued.
Judge’s despair at solicitors acting “like schoolchildren in the playground”
The High Court has expressed its despair at solicitors conducting litigation “like schoolchildren in the playground”, as well as “pernicious” growth of satellite costs disputes.
Network launched to link “lonely” class representatives
A network has been launched today to support class representatives, who have the “lonely” task of representing huge numbers of consumers in competition claims.
MoJ consults again on international mediation convention
The Ministry of Justice has launched a second consultation on whether the UK should join the Singapore Convention, which deals with commercial mediation agreements.
Compulsory ADR needed for smallest claims, says CJC
ADR should be compulsory for claims worth less than £500, the Civil Justice Council has said. Claimants who refuse to mediate should have their claims stayed for a period and then struck out.
Written advice could have avoided negligence claim, courts tells firm
A law firm might have avoided a professional negligence case if its senior partner had provided more advice in writing rather than orally, the High Court has said.
Solicitor/own client disputes “continue to keep costs specialists busy”
A large number of costs lawyers continue to see their practices boom amid more people challenging the fees they paid to their former solicitors, new research has found.
Insurers invest in new professional negligence ABS
A niche alternative business structure specialising in defending professional negligence claims has been launched this month, with investment from the insurance industry.
High Court spreads load as it transfers JR from London to Manchester
The High Court has transferred a claim issued in London to Manchester as it “makes best use of court resources” and means the Royal Courts of Justice are not over-burdened.
Flaux: Remote hearings robbing junior lawyers of vital experience
Judges will be doing more to encourage the involvement of junior barristers and solicitors in remote hearings, the Chancellor of the High Court has said.
Judge bemoans huge costs of 17-inch boundary dispute
A circuit judge has said it is “beyond my comprehension” how a boundary dispute over 17 inches of land has racked up costs of around £200,000.
Negligence claim brought over negligence claim to proceed
A claimant suing his solicitors for negligence in how they pursued a claim for negligence against other solicitors has failed in his bid to appeal a decision to refuse summary judgment.
“Warehoused” case against law firm struck out
The High Court has struck out a professional negligence claim against a London law firm that it decided had been “warehoused”, after the claimant failed to explain why he had not been more active.
High Court allows in-house lawyer to appear in $213m contract battle
The High Court has taken the unusual step of allowing a Hong Kong media company to be represented in court by its in-house lawyer in a $213m contract dispute after its external solicitors withdrew.
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.
