Resentment against the Government’s final package of legal aid cuts has reached new heights as hundreds of criminal barristers and lawyers today (7 March) staged a major protest outside Westminster, their second protest this year, with a further call made for Law Society president Nicholas Fluck and chief executive Desmond Hudson to resign. Continue reading “Last chance saloon – criminal Bar stage major protest against final legal aid reform package”
Comment: Paradigm shift vs recession – responding to a sceptical reader
We recently posted a comment piece addressing the issue of whether the forces impacting on the legal market represent a permanent structural shift or are just the result of a horrendous recession. Dry stuff that will leave the professional pulse unmoved for most, but still pretty fundamental to whether law firm leaders should start launching their Lawyers on Demand rip-offs and outsourcing anything that moves in a desperate attempt to future-proof their business.
One professional observer felt I was underplaying the level of permanent change facing the profession, and was kind enough to send me some research they have produced in the area. Continue reading “Comment: Paradigm shift vs recession – responding to a sceptical reader”
‘Worst fears confirmed’ as Grayling announces final legal aid reform package
There was never likely to be much compromise and so it proved. The Government today (27 February) confirmed its final package of reforms to the legal aid system following consultation, that includes a range of measures ‘specifically designed to support lawyers through a period of transition and modernisation’. The package – which the Government hopes will slice more than £200m from the £1.2bn criminal legal aid budget – was swiftly condemned by the profession with the Bar Council claiming the measures confirmed its ‘worst fears’. Continue reading “‘Worst fears confirmed’ as Grayling announces final legal aid reform package”
Systems overhaul required as Treasury Solicitor’s Department falls foul of Data Protection Act
Whitehall’s largest legal department, the Treasury Solicitor’s Department (TSol) is to improve its data protection practices after an independent investigation found it had breached the Data Protection Act four times between 2011 and 2012.
The investigation by the UK’s independent data privacy authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), found that TSol failed to comply with the act after it released the personal information of individuals to third parties on four separate occasions between August 2011 and November 2012.
Countdown: HMRC’s LLP tax changes to go ahead in April
The controversial debate over taxation of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) has reached a decisive stage as changes are scheduled to press ahead on 6 April, while individuals have been allocated more time to contribute capital, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) announced late last Friday (21 February).
Having long been accused of unfairly treating all partnerships as tax avoidance vehicles, the Government has been taking meaningful steps to reset the relationship as it has ‘become evident that many LLPs have members who are engaged on terms similar to those of employees rather than traditional partners’, according to guidance notes published by HMRC last week.
Continue reading “Countdown: HMRC’s LLP tax changes to go ahead in April”
Comment: paradigm shift or just the mother of recessions? 2014 should answer the profession’s big question
It’s been obvious that something fundamental happened to the world economy during 2008, ushering in the worst relative trading conditions since the 1930s. It is, likewise, demonstrable that this shift has had a material impact on the legal profession in terms of reduced growth prospects, changing corporate buying habits and pressure on the conventional model of law.
The point that has yet to be resolved – and which has huge significance to the western legal industry – is whether that change represents a permanent structural shift underwritten by technology and the rise of non-law firm providers, or merely a severe cyclical depression from which the profession will in time recover. Continue reading “Comment: paradigm shift or just the mother of recessions? 2014 should answer the profession’s big question”
Comment: Magna Carta, bribery and a bit of confusion – Global Law Summit starts the countdown
It turns out that hundreds of years of legal history waits not even for Bob Crow so Thursday evening (6 February) saw an opening countdown to the planned Global Law Summit, the sort of Government-backed venture to celebrate the Magna Carta, English traditions of rule of law and the UK’s role as a legal services leader.
As such, a sizeable group of senior figures from across the profession braved a grid-locked London and variable security arrangements at Mansion House to hear a debate on bribery law and flag up the Global Law Summit planned for next year to mark 800 years of the drafting of Magna Carta. Continue reading “Comment: Magna Carta, bribery and a bit of confusion – Global Law Summit starts the countdown”
‘Like a comfortable old shoe’ – HMRC review attempts to push reset button on its relationship with partnerships
City tax partners have long accused HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of unfairly treating all partnerships as tax avoidance vehicles but in a new report published last week, the government body appears to be taking steps to reset the relationship, albeit only shortly after announcing that salaried partners will be treated as having a ‘disguised salary’ and must be taxed as employees. Continue reading “‘Like a comfortable old shoe’ – HMRC review attempts to push reset button on its relationship with partnerships”
MoJ’s court fee proposals criticised by internal government review
The Ministry of Justice‘s plans to levy sizeable court fees in commercial claims have encountered a setback after the Government’s own watchdog accused the department of being unclear in its cost objectives.
The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), a body set up to provide the government with external independent scrutiny of regulatory proposals, this week said in an impact assessment that the MoJ’s plans were ‘not fit for purpose’ and that the department ‘needs to make clear whether the proposals will result in the Court Service raising more funds than is necessary to cover their costs’.
Continue reading “MoJ’s court fee proposals criticised by internal government review”
Protests and resignations but the High Court says QASA is lawful
Following months of protests from the criminal Bar including the resignation of a number of barristers from the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB’s) disciplinary panel, the High Court today (20 January) dismissed a formal judicial challenge of the controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates, ruling that the scheme is lawful.
The court found that the scheme, under which barristers may only accept trials on a par with their assessed and graded advocacy abilities, does not constitute a breach of European law and falls within the legitimate exercise of the powers of the Legal Services Board (LSB) and the three regulatory bodies that submitted it to the LSB for approval. Continue reading “Protests and resignations but the High Court says QASA is lawful”