Hello and welcome to our Costs Round Up, the 5 minute read that enlightens, brightens and informs on the week in legal costs news.
This week we heard that fixed costs in clinical negligence cases will be delayed with lawyers calling for the postponement to allow for a greater period of consideration before any implementation.
We were treated to a great read from Professor Regan entitled “Changing Hands” on why he expects the Court of Appeal to confirm the legitimacy of CFA assignment and we would recommend reading the articles by Christopher McClure on the assignment of conditional fee agreements and “Seconds Out, Round Two” for further detailed analysis.
“Digital legal services for low income clients “close to tipping point” is an interesting read too from Professor Roger Smith (a leading researcher into online law) who predicts that high street law firms will be increasingly vulnerable to website-based national brands of legal service just as retailers have been to Amazon. The article touches on artificial insurance and provides a novel interpretation of the future for legal services particularly for low income clients.
Elsewhere, the Civil Procedure Rule Committee has dismissed a call from the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) to introduce fixed costs in costs-only proceedings flagging up this issue to fall within part of a wider reform agenda.
The shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has called on the Justice Secretary Michael Gove to intervene in the case of Zane Gbangbola where legal aid representation has been refused for inquest. In a letter, he wrote:
"It seems utterly unjust for this family, who have been living every parents' worst nightmare and are now on the brink of bankruptcy, to be thrown into a court room for the inquest on their child without proper legal support and representation.”
It’s been a busy week at John M Hayes to include travelling to Cardiff and Bristol to visit two of our top teams.
We wish Bristol Office the very best of luck with their new rock climbing challenge - from book clubs (last week) to rock climbing (this week) it’s one end of the spectrum to the other – but we think it mirrors perfectly the well-rounded, full service costs provision we offer to all our clients!
Watch out for more company pictures and travel on Twitter (@John_M_Hayes) and Facebook
Until next week…..
(Picture credit: Tumblr/Happiness is the Path)