
From 100% to 37% – huge variation in LPC providers’ pass rates
Some institutions teaching the legal practice course have recorded 100% pass rates, while others are under 50%, and a performance gap based on student ethnicity continues.

“Less talk, more action” needed to tackle female barrister crisis
There needs to be less talk and more action to tackle the “crisis” of female criminal law barristers leaving the profession, the head of the Criminal Bar Association has argued.

Supreme Court to rule on damages in solicitors’ negligence claims
The Supreme Court is to decide when the prospects of success of a claim lost because of the negligence of a solicitor should be judged for the purposes of damages, it announced yesterday.

CA: “Bully” judge forced mother to agree to care orders
A judge effectively bullied a mother into agreeing to interim care orders for her children against her wishes, the Court of Appeal has found. The “oppressive behaviour” meant there was not a fair hearing.

Court modernisation delivers £158m in savings so far
The court modernisation programme has realised £158m in “benefits” to date, more than was anticipated, the Ministry of Justice has revealed. It is also to create an advisory panel.

Falling budget sparks Law Commission independence concern
The Law Commission’s funding model is to be reviewed to address concerns about a lack of independence from government, following a review of its operations.

DWF to raise £75m from groundbreaking listing
DWF will raise around £75m from listing on the London Stock Exchange, the firm said today as it announced its plan to float in March and confirmed that it had received a positive reaction from investors.

Court refuses to overturn solicitor’s sole practitioner ban
The High Court has rejected a solicitor’s appeal against a decision to ban him from working as a sole practitioner, after a tribunal found he had been “sloppy, lazy and careless”.

Supervising solicitor “told paralegal to lie” to barrister
An experienced personal injury paralegal who lied to a barrister and legal expenses insurer “on instruction from her supervising solicitor” has been prohibited from working for law firms without permission.

Gauke: Innovation and tech the way forward on legal aid
The justice secretary said yesterday that innovation and technology, rather than significant increases in legal aid spending, are the way to improve access to justice.






