A NEW scheme designed to secure training contracts for Scottish law graduates has been condemned by lawyers south of the border. Solicitors in England and Wales say the system, which involves graduates of Scotland’s Diploma in Legal Practice working for a Government training allowance plus u10 per week for the first year of articles, is […]
Fascinating though many viewers, both legal and lay, are finding the BBC’s ‘The Trial’, has it brought us any further down the road in the argument about whether TV cameras should be allowed in court? Besides the interest that derived from viewers actually looking into courtrooms for the first time and seeing things “in reality”, […]
Leeds-based commercial law practice Walker Morris has appointed Caroline Black as marketing executive. Previously at one of Scotland’s leading law firm’s, Biggart, Baillie & Gifford, Black will be responsible for developing the firm’s marketing strategy.
THE LAW Society is fighting moves by the Polish parliament to introduce legislation requiring foreign firms with offices in the country to either shut down or transfer their capital to Polish lawyers. If it is enacted the draft law would affect leading firms such as Theodore Goddard and Clifford Chance which have offices in Warsaw. […]
The Press Complaints Commission has upheld a complaint by Sittingbourne solicitor Andrew McCooey against the Sunday Mirror over an article about his client Myra Hindley last May entitled “Help Me! Myra SOS to hypno star Paul.” The PCC said the headline gave the impression that the convicted murderer had actually contacted the hypnotist when she […]
THE BAR Council’s out-going treasurer Martin Bowley QC blasted the Inns of Court as “self-perpetuating geriatric oligarchies” in a speech to the Bar Lesbian and Gay Group (Blagg). Bowley also called for a radical revamp of the archaic sex laws which he says should enshrine the concept of equality. The QC, of 1 King’s Bench […]
HIGH Court judge Mr Justice Dyson has called on the Law Society and Bar Council to back a directory of black lawyers. “The committees of the Law Society and the Bar Council have been working hard to reduce racial prejudice within the two professions,” he said at its launch. “It is clear that there is […]
BELFAST litigation firm Harrison Leitch & Logan is merging with one of Ulster’s oldest practices, Galway McIlwaine & Seeds. The new firm, to be known as Harrison Leitch & Logan (incorporating Galway McIlwaine & Seeds), will combine corporate and private client departments with a strong litigation base. It will be based at Harrison Leitch’s current […]
Less than six of the 400 or so names cited in the author’s index of this book will be familiar to British readers. The absence of any reference to British experts (eg Gudjonsson) is a weakness and reflects the introspection and preoccupation within the US of so much literature in this field. There is a […]
LAW firms are managing to boost profits despite static fee income, according to a snap-shot survey. Cutting staff costs, reducing overheads and an increase in the use of technology have been the back-bone of the improvements. But the smaller firms, those with less than 10 partners, have continued to struggle and have failed to increase […]
When a law firm produces a biannual guide to its publications, two things are clear: it must bring out a reasonable number of publications, and it must take them seriously. So it is with Clifford Chance. The partnership sees publishing as an important business service for its clients and as a marketing tool. To this […]
FORMER Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle employee Joan Asghari has won her unfair dismissal case againt the New York-based firm. But Asghari, who worked full-time as London office manager and accounts supervisor for the practice from 1989, failed in her claim of sex discrimination. She is now awaiting news of a cash settlement in the […]