2 June 1997

Ruling out direct access to better system

Gavin Millar’s article (Viewpoint, The Lawyer, 11 March) gives the classical arguments against allowing barristers to have direct access to clients. But none of the arguments stand up to a single moment’s logical analysis. Let’s remember what the rule means. It is not some minor idiosyncrasy such as wigs or “my learned friend”. It says […]

Flotations

London and South Wales firm Morgan Bruce has acted for Capital & Regional Properties Plc in raising £60.5m on a placing and open offer and also acted for the same firm to secure an £83m syndicated loan from Hypo loan. The funds will be used to purchase five shopping centres.

Project

London firm Geisler Laws Manning, in association with General Motors’ in-house team, acted for General Motors Acceptance Corporation (UK) in a multimillion pound software project with Pan Credit Systems. Pan Credit was advised by Irwin Mitchell.

Property

Linklaters & Paines advised MEPC on its £80m acquisition of C&J Clark’s factory outlets at Street, Kendal and Doncaster and of Ritenuto Holding BV’s interest at Doncaster. Freshfields advised C&J Clark on corporate matters and Chubb Bulleid on property matters. Wright Son & Pepper advised Ritenuto.

Law Society goes on-line

The Law Society’s Policy Committee has given the green light to a computer system that will allow council members to go on-line and communicate with each other over the information superhighway. A central bulletin board will only be accessible to staff and council members, and will allow them to receive information and input ideas. Treasurer […]

Lawrence Graham lawyers advise councils to take on trusts

Councils struggling to fund public services, such as residential homes for the elderly and art galleries, can ease the burden by turning them into charitable trusts, according to a report by London law firm Lawrence Graham. The report, which was written by lawyers Simon Randall and Phillip Heath, says benefits of transferring services to a […]

Garretts nabs two Pinsents partners

PINSENT Curtis has lost two more key members of its Leeds practice to Garrett & Co. Both are from the firm’s PFI group. PFI director Michael Longden, a non-solicitor with partner-equivalent status, left for Garretts in April. He is a specialist in charities and public sector tax and joined Simpson Curtis in 1989, after 17 […]

In brief: Convicted solicitor receives suspension

Allen Chubb, the solicitor convicted of falsely imprisoning and causing actual bodily harm to a client’s wife, faces a three-month suspension by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. In a hearing last week, the tribunal ordered Chubb to pay £1,927 costs and suspended him for three months, but then lifted the order pending an appeal. Chubb, 53, […]

In brief: Growth inspires Anthony Gold promotion

David Marshall has been made the first managing partner of litigation practice Anthony Gold, Lerman and Muirhead. The appointment follows 18 months of growth for the central London firm, which now has 11 partners.

Law and accountants survey finds firms predicting gloom

Law and accountancy firms are predicting a gloomy year ahead despite enjoying significant growth in 1996, according to a recent survey. The survey of about 100 small and medium-sized legal and accountancy firms revealed that, although 62 per cent of respondents experienced growth of more than 10 per cent last year, none of them predict […]

Clyde & Co loses four partners in four weeks

Four partners have left Clyde & Co in the past four weeks. Sheila Simison and Yvonne Jefferies left the firm to join insurance specialist Barlow Lyde & Gilbert last month, and tax partner Colin Master is due to leave at the end of this month. Master is joining City bank Coutts & Co as head […]

Fee group pushes for reviews

A newly-formed alliance of pressure groups set up to campaign against the recent hike in civil court fees, is seeking cases for judicial review to get the increases abolished. The initiative follows a successful judicial review last March which led to the reintroduction of exemption or remission of High Court and County court fees for […]