Litigation/Dispute Resolution
High Court holds clients in contempt for failing to pay solicitors £2.3m
Two clients who owe their solicitors £2.3m in outstanding fees, costs and interest have been found guilty of 14 charges of contempt of court.
Giving evidence “not a game”, judge tells expert witness
An expert witness has apologised to the High Court after being told by a judge not to treat giving evidence in court “as a game”.
Gateley launches £50m litigation fund as LCM reports “robust” results
Listed law firm Gateley has signed a deal with a US-based litigation funder for a £50m facility to back disputes, while funder LCM has announced “robust” results after a tricky year.
Barrister waived privilege in document by showing it to opposing counsel
Counsel for a defendant in possession proceedings voluntarily disclosed a draft witness statement to her opposing number and in doing so waived privilege, the High Court has ruled.
Susskind: Remote hearings have “opened door slightly” to courts revolution
A year of video hearings does not constitute “a lasting revolution in court service” but it has shown the potential for improving the justice system, Professor Richard Susskind has argued.
Slater & Gordon fails in “full frontal” court attack on Checkmylegalfees
Slater & Gordon has failed in what a costs judge called a “full frontal attack” on the business model of the law firm bringing hundreds of claims over deductions made from the damages of former clients.
Profits soar as listed legal business benefits from litigation investment
RBG Holdings, the AIM-listed company that now owns two law firms, saw profits increase nearly three-fold in the first six months of the year, fuelled by gains from its litigation work.
Law firm invests own capital in £150m deal with litigation funder
Leading London law firm Mishcon de Reya is investing capital and some of the fees it receives in future from cases into a litigation funding partnership.
Law Society and APIL lead opposition to fixed costs extension
Government plans to widen the use of fixed recoverable costs in civil cases would blow a hole in access to justice, the Law Society has said in urging the government to rethink.
Litigation funder launches “automated secondary market”
A litigation funding platform has launched an “automated secondary market” to allow high-net-worth individuals to trade investments in cases that already have funding.
Ministry of Justice to press ahead with fixed costs expansion
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that it will implement Sir Rupert Jackson’s blueprint for fixed recoverable costs across the fast-track and in most money cases worth up to £100,000.
High Court dismisses £2.7m law firm negligence claim
The High Court has granted summary judgment in favour of a law firm and its senior partner and dismissed a £2.7m negligence claim.
Huge delays persist in taking civil court claims to trial
Delays in cases going through the civil courts reduced slightly in the second quarter of 2021, but it still takes 49 weeks to get a small claim from issue to trial and 71 weeks for larger claims.
MoJ: “Strong justification” for increasing 129 court fees
There is “strong justification” for increasing 129 court fees by inflation, backdated to 2016, the Ministry of Justice has said.
Judge warns over ‘risk-free’ litigation under DBA backed by insurance
The High Court has warned about the potential unfairness to defendants facing a claimant operating ‘risk-free’ under a damages-based agreement and backed by after-the-event insurance.
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.
