British lawyers are being scapegoated for horrors in Ukraine, Law Society says March 24, 2022 The Law Society has claimed “British lawyers” are being turned into “scapegoats” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a letter to The Times, Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce said lawyers have been “singled out” for their involvements with Russia, as she argued they have become scapegoats for the “horrors in Ukraine.” In response to [...]
Three quarters of separating couples are waiting for ‘no fault’ divorce law shakeup March 24, 2022 Government plans to bring in new “no fault” divorce laws next month could lead to a surge in the number of couples filing divorce proceedings. The release of pent-up demand, following the introduction of “no fault” divorce laws on 6 April, is expected to see a boom in demand. More than three quarters (78 per [...]
P&O ‘chose’ to break the law by firing 800 people, company boss says March 24, 2022 P&O Ferries’ chief executive has admitted the ferry operator broke the law by failing to consult employees and unions before sacking 800 people. Peter Hebblethwaite told MPs there was “absolutely no doubt” P&O broke UK employment laws, as he admitted the ferry firm “chose not to consult” employees and unions. “We chose not to consult [...]
Law firms face pressure to cut costs and offer ‘no win, no fee’ payment schemes March 24, 2022 An overwhelming majority of the UK’s biggest law firms are now facing pressure to cut the costs of their services, according to data shared exclusively with City A.M. Nine-in-ten partners in law firms with turnovers of more than £500m a year said they are facing pressure to reduce costs and use different billing arrangements, a [...]
Lawyers counter P&O’s claims that it cannot be prosecuted March 24, 2022 Legal experts are disputing P&O’s claims that it is not subject to English law after company boss Peter Hebblethwaite said British courts have no power to prosecute the firm. The ferry operator claimed it had not broken UK laws, because its vessels are registered in Cyprus and Bermuda. The claims come after Prime Minister Boris [...]
Financial whistleblower takes UK watchdog to court over claims of unfair dismissal March 23, 2022 A former employee of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has claimed he was unfairly fired by the watchdog, after he raised concerns about systemic issues in the runup to the 2008 financial crisis. Former FCA risk manager Walker Sigismund told a tribunal that he was unfairly fired by the financial regulator after he filed 27 [...]
Judge calls for personal attacks to be kept out of divorce filings March 23, 2022 A Family Court judge has called on lawyers to refrain from using divorce filings to make personal attacks against their clients’ former spouses. In a ruling, High Court judge Mr Justice Peel told lawyers that filings should only include “evidence,” as he told off a lawyer for filing a “long statement” that “crossed the line” [...]
MoJ puts out ‘urgent call’ for evidence from victims of legal threats and libel lawfare March 23, 2022 The UK’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has put out an “urgent call” for evidence of large firms and wealthy individuals using lawsuits to silence criticism. The call comes after the government vowed to crack down on those using legal threats to silence the press and “stifle legitimate criticism”. In a statement, justice secretary Dominic Raab [...]
Shares in Knights continue to plummet after law firm says return-to-office was blocked by Omicron March 23, 2022 Shares in London listed law firm Knights continued to fall today, after the firm blamed the Omicron variant for a “slowdown in corporate work.” In a trading update, Knights, which has 17 offices across Britain, said the “persistent effects of Omicron” and high rates of illness amongst its employees meant the firm failed to make [...]
Journalist has right to protect Birmingham pub bombing source, judge says March 22, 2022 A British judge has said a prominent journalist is within his rights not to hand over information that could identify the person responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings. Former MP Chris Mullin is under no obligation to hand over notes for an interview with a person who claimed to be responsible for the Birmingham explosions [...]