Nine out of 10 people would recommend their solicitor to a friend, according to independent research commissioned by the Law Society.
Of 1,011 people questioned by research agency GfK NOP, 505 said they had a solicitor to whom they would go for advice on a legal matter. Of those, 90% said they would recommend their solicitor to a friend, while 9% said they would not and 1% said they did not know. Read the rest of this entry »
Some 98% of new laws introduced by the government in 2009 were brought in as statutory instruments without full parliamentary debate, research has revealed today.
Data from legal information provider Sweet & Maxwell showed that the number of laws introduced by the government during the last year rose by 16% to 2,492, up from 2,148 in the previous 12 months.
This is the equivalent of almost 10 new laws per working day, and was the largest number of new laws introduced since 2001, the study said.
The Law Society has welcomed a report by the Malaysian Human Rights Commission published today which finds that the arrest of five legal aid lawyers last year was unlawful.
The lawyers were called to the police station to represent clients who had been arrested for attending an illegal assembly, but were then detained in the same cell by the Malaysian police.
Quinn Insurance has been given permission for a limited re-entry into the UK insurance market following an announcement by the Irish Financial Regulator yesterday.
However, the relaxation of the regulator’s restrictions preventing Quinn from writing new business in the UK does not extend to solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance.
The regulator said that it would permit the Irish insurer to write motor insurance cover for learner drivers in the UK. It is understood that this is one of the more profitable areas of the company’s activities.
Major City firms announced a wave of partner promotions today, with 33 lawyers made up across the world.
City firm Herbert Smith made up 18 lawyers, including 11 in London and three in Paris. The most promotions were in the firm’s energy practice (4). When the promotions go through on 1 May, Herbert Smith will have 272 partners.
City firm SJ Berwin promoted seven to its partnership, including five in London, one in Frankfurt and one in Madrid. Most promotions were in the firm’s corporate practice (3).
The government’s decision to add a new ‘highly trusted sponsor’ category to the points-based immigration system is a possible ‘poisoned chalice’ for education providers, immigration lawyers have warned.
Educational institutions, such as language schools, can qualify for the new sponsor category, which came into force on 6 April, by demonstrating a track record of recruiting only genuine overseas students who comply with immigration rules while in the UK. Compared with other sponsors, they will then be able to avoid red tape and offer a range of new services. A fee of £400 is payable.
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has called on the government to consult on legislation requiring local authorities to provide open and free access to property information.
In a ‘manifesto’ published last week, CoPSO said councils were arbitrarily restricting access to data and ‘urgent action’ is needed to ensure consumers get a better service.
A survey of its members revealed that only one in five local authorities provide full open access to data.
The Co-operative Group is to launch a fresh campaign to promote its legal services to food shoppers in its 3,000 supermarkets nationwide.
The news comes as the group, which aims to be one of the first alternative business structures, told the Gazette that it believes ‘the die is cast’ for legal services reform, no matter which party is in government at the next election.
The advertising campaign will see the Co-op’s legal services division promoted for nine weeks in a campaign that will include the use of in-store radio and animated till screen displays.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Law Society have both issued statements reassuring Quinn Insurance policyholders that they do not need to take action after permanent administrators were appointed to the Irish insurer yesterday.
The SRA said that the full administration of Quinn under Irish insurance legislation ‘does not appear to amount to an insolvency event for the purposes of the Solicitors Indemnity Insurance Rules in England and Wales, and therefore there is no requirement at this stage for firms insured with Quinn to seek replacement qualifying insurance’.
The status of the professional indemnity insurance (PII) policies of more than 2,900 law firms and sole practitioners has today been thrown into uncertainty after the Irish High Court appointed permanent administrators to Irish insurer Quinn Insurance.
The Law Society said that its advice to Quinn Insurance policyholders was unchanged, in that they need not take any action. It is understood that the Solicitors Regulation Authority will make a statement on the matter shortly.
