The 5-Minute read that enlightens, brightens and informs on the week in legal costs.
This week, a new lobbying group of personal injury lawyers - A2J (Access to Justice) - has launched a campaign against the proposed changes to compensation for minor whiplash injuries claiming that “the Government is being hoodwinked by the insurance industry”
Neil Rose at Litigation Futures reports on the case of Bolt Burdon Solicitors v Tariq & Ors [2016] EWHC 811 (QB) in which the High Court has upheld a contingency fee agreement under which a law firm received half of the compensation recovered – which amounted to over £400,000, eight times what it would have billed on an hourly basis.
Marc Banyard based at our Cardiff Office, gave expert evidence for the SRA in this case before the Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal where a Solicitor in Wales was struck off for “abhorrent overcharging”.
Kerry Underwood writing as “Confused from Hemel Hempstead” highlighted the challenges for a Sole Practitioner running a small law firm in Hertfordshire “not too good at keeping up with the news.” There is so much happening or about to happen it can be hard to keep up with change – we think this article nails it!
On legal aid, there was disappointing news that the Low Commission is to be wound up due to lack of funds. The irony of a Commission set up to look into the impact of legal aid cuts has itself been forced to wind up due to lack of funds has not been lost and is a bitter blow.
A slightly longer read but a strong piece to read in the Guardian on legal aid Solicitor, Tom Giles. As Ada Edemariam writes, it has never been easy to win as an immigration lawyer – but now the government is trying to make it impossible. Find out more here.
David Smith, Head of Legal Aid Training notes that the Legal Aid Agency has added an article to their website setting out some of the most common errors in bills of costs and carefully unravels and casts light on one aspect of the article that could easily cause confusion – the section regarding “Show Causes”.
And this week at John M Hayes, we brought the whole Company together at Chesterfield for our annual conference. Every office attended and used the opportunity to talk, catch up and share a great lunch before returning home on Wednesday refreshed and firmly focused on our work.
Still no news on the resident peregrine falcons at Norwich Office but we hope for new arrivals soon…
Until next week..