Barclays, NatWest and HSBC increasingly targeted by litigation funders in wave of class-action lawsuits January 9, 2023 The UK’s top banks are increasingly being targeted with class-action lawsuits as litigation funders back claims against some of Britain’s largest lenders in their pursuit of high returns. Banks listed on the FTSE 100 index are currently facing at least 109 class-action lawsuits in multiple countries around the world, according to analysis by law firm [...]
UK class-action lawsuits against Google, Apple and Sony see value of competition claims surge to £26bn January 9, 2023 The value of UK competition class-actions surged last year, according to new data published today, following the filing of a series of multi-billion-pound claims against some of the world’s biggest tech companies, including Apple, Google and Sony. The value of class-action lawsuits filed in the UK over claims around anti-competitive behaviour surged six-fold over the [...]
Divorce Day: As couples prepare to lawyer-up, we ask an expert how to separate well January 6, 2023 As if the first Monday back after Christmas wasn’t depressing enough, 9 January is also known in family law circles as “Divorce Day”. The stresses of Christmas prove too much for some relationships and this is the time of year when couples lawyer up and begin working on their marriage exit strategies. Still, there are [...]
Use of AI apps is fuelling plagiarism, as barrister warns more needs to be done to stop online exam cheating January 6, 2023 Artificial intelligence apps, such as the chatbot ChatGPT, could make the UK’s exam cheating problem worse, a top barrister who works on student appeals has warned. Increasingly sophisticated AI models are now able to produce “decent, plagiarism-free answers to a wide range of questions,” Daniel Sokol, a barrister at 12 King’s Bench Walk, said in [...]
Boom in law firm partner hires set to subside in 2023 as recession hits January 5, 2023 The boom in law firm partner hires seen over the previous year is set to subside in 2023 as the UK economy slides into recession, according to a new report. The global economic downturn is set to hit law firm’s revenues, in a shift that is in turn set to cool the partner hiring market, [...]
Lack of prosecutors threatens to worsen England and Wales’ Crown Court backlogs, Criminal Bar Association warns January 5, 2023 A shortage of prosecutors in the UK’s criminal justice system threatens to worsen the backlogs in the country’s Crown Courts, the head of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has warned. A record number of criminal cases are now being halted due to a lack of prosecutors willing and able to work, CBA chair Kirsty Brimelow [...]
Cost of living crisis: UK lawyers braced for talent war and surge in fraud cases January 5, 2023 Lawyers working in top British companies are anticipating a hike in fraud, disputes, and debt recovery cases over 2023 as the UK’s economy takes a turn for the worse, a new survey shows. In-house lawyers expect they will be forced to deal with the fallout of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis as the economic downturn sets [...]
Dentons poaches top SFO lawyer in push to bolster investigations team January 5, 2023 Dentons has poached one of the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO’s) top lawyers, as it pushes forwards with efforts to bolster its ranks with public sector hires. SFO deputy general counsel Rebecca Dix will take on a new position at Dentons’ London office, switching from the public sector crime agency to the fourth largest law firm [...]
Hogan Lovells and Shearman & Sterling in ‘merger’ rumours that would create world’s fifth largest law firm January 4, 2023 Law giants Hogan Lovells and Shearman & Sterling have hinted a potential merger could be on the table, after stating they are open to opportunities including “discussions with different firms”. The two law firms both acknowledged market rumours they are engaged in early stage talks for a merger that could see them create the fifth [...]
Mishcon de Reya bolsters legal tech offering with Taylor Vinters merger January 3, 2023 Mishcon de Reya has completed its merger with Taylor Vinters, after first striking a deal with the tech and innovation specialist in September 2021. The ‘Silver Circle’ London law firm’s merger with Taylor Vinters will see more than 200 of the law firm’s staff join Mishcon de Reya’s 1,200 strong team – including 145 lawyers [...]