Welcome to the year's seventh edition of the weekly 'Law Business' column brought to you by the SundayLawReview team. The collapse of the Vicky Pryce trial this week led to some questions being asked of the jury system. But the age old principle of being judged by one's peers was defended by senior lawyers. Britain's senior most female judge Lady Hale has openly argued for positive discrimination to promote more women in the judiciary to offset centuries of gender imbalance. In the wake of a very interesting article on why women find it difficult to sell their achievements in workplace, perhaps the legal profession still has some barriers to knock down.
This column takes a serious look at what happened in the business of law within UK as reported by online legal publications throughout last week.
The most interesting articles on developments, compliance, business and the study of law including articles cited within TheLawMap 'focus of the day':
- Bar goes ahead with aptitude test for entrants | Law Gazette http://t.co/W0etab3b2T
- Government ‘hiding’ RTA Portal evidence, Society claims | Law Gazette http://t.co/dKbSsGnMJQ
- High-cost cases to escape new management rules | Law Gazette http://t.co/a9GQ7nB773
- High value cases get extra protection from costs management | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/66kAT8kkMm
- Growing percentage of enquiries through solicitors’ websites makes them a most valuable marketing tool | Law Gazette http://t.co/8yTt6qonaj
- Impact of wellbeing on performance | Law Gazette http://t.co/IDYcjmUFWr
- Top-40 firms seek ABS status, research shows | Law Gazette http://t.co/c3hD8oLCWX
- Concession over EU sales law | Law Gazette http://t.co/T2tQPaSH7a
- Mediation fails to reduce litigation over children | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/wMZmhvqsmD
- Lord Lester rallies supporters of Defamation Bill | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/xeLsirXxFS
- Profit falls the ‘new normal’ for high street firms | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/TFGyUayoO8
- Impact of wellbeing on performance | Law Gazette http://t.co/IDYcjmUFWr
- Suspicion not enough in care proceedings | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/sRLS9USoww
- Solicitor who lost firm works as carer for former clients | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/YMpOPKd1jV
- First construction ABS as global consultancy buys law firm to offer multi-disciplinary service | Legal Futures http://t.co/6lad93N5ax
- Motorbike accident management company becomes ABS | Legal Futures http://t.co/s8WMdlDiRN
- BSB launches probe after report identifies possible race bias in disciplinary work | Legal Futures http://t.co/HfwQLRLkPq
- UK lawyers told to go digital | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/fJ14xCOD
- Once more into the electronic justice breach | Law Gazette http://t.co/3w8hKwFl
- Compliance – catalyst for consolidation? | Law Gazette http://t.co/rdw1jcri
- Homeless families can be accommodated in separate flats | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/mnbShcEE
- British banks face £9bn unfunded litigation bill | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/j1Vpv8NQ
- Four-borough shared legal service gets go ahead | The Lawyer http://t.co/R9qkApMS
- Will drafted by experienced partner was invalid, appeal judges rule | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/Ue4UGmxl
- Will drafted by experienced partner was invalid, appeal judges rule | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/IEwPK9cF
- Solicitor-run chambers becomes ABS | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/q7SdOIbk
- No new money for defence in Green’s digital justice plan | Law Gazette http://t.co/TZsLWPSe
- The never-ending story: publication of Legal Education and Training Review delayed again | Legal Futures http://t.co/fLv3e9ln
- Referral fee ban will drive insurers to buy law firms, "but it won't reduce claims costs" | Legal Futures http://t.co/pwzDyePY
- Latest crop of ABSs eye external investment and non-legal services | Legal Futures http://t.co/qUEOYhs4
- SRA rejects LSB call for review of separate business rule | Legal Futures http://t.co/HK69hSK4
- Cobbetts’ demise and resurrection – the full story | Law Gazette http://t.co/G5TZCgRr
- EU watchdogs target Google privacy policy | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/qex4FX0N
- Partner jailed for £20m fake marriage racket | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/lAfK9wFt
- Advocate General backs workers in TUPE battle | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/Yp45Ajfz
- Several QualitySolicitors firms are considering moving to alternative business structure status | Law Gazette http://t.co/R15UHfQ3
- Bar reviews conduct regime over ethnic disparities | Law Gazette http://t.co/HanBgxL8
- Cable hails unified patent court boost | Law Gazette http://t.co/zJVZIzxo
- Shake-up of legal education faces new delay as review report is pushed back | Legalweek http://t.co/cHsJ3WXE
- Firms warming to outcomes-focused regulation, says the SRA | Law Gazette http://t.co/jLqa5YBF
- Wales says no to separation – for now | Law Gazette http://t.co/8NwWJmOy
- Status quo is best for Wales | Law Gazette http://t.co/IbEQER07
- Find-A-Lawyer, EU-style | Law Gazette http://t.co/byOESaM3
- Lawyers slam Theresa May’s ‘populism’ on immigration | Law Gazette http://t.co/ihG94WK1
- Lawyers let down by poor mental health programmes | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/vJNO3jWw
- Lawyers "need to unbundle services" to compete with online providers | Legal Futures http://t.co/5MQ7nklU
- SRA survey: OFR confusion for many firms - and their compliance officers | Legal Futures http://t.co/LCg2Pk6r
- SRA plays down law firm finance concerns | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/PdyZ6X3p
- Patent law change to boost UK innovation | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/w5t8zBwn
- Top British companies ramp up legal budgets | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/kDLc8Prr
- Publication of legal education review faces yet another delay | The Lawyer http://t.co/DJbOy55Q
- FTSE 100 Firms' Legal Liabilities Shoot Up http://t.co/HCbNgUCK
- Rights to light ‘being exploited’, Law Commission says | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/fBEiGpMs
- Goodbye Solicitor And Barrister, Hello ‘Legal Process Analyst’ | Review: ‘Tomorrow’s Lawyers’ Richard Susskind http://t.co/qxT2ZFz2
- Legal Services Board presses SRA not to shackle provision of non-reserved legal work | Legal Futures http://t.co/wi2ZgYO4
- Law Society warns of significant risks if foreign lawyers are passported into law firm partnerships | Legal Futures http://t.co/q7Gtytdb
- Success and the smaller Law Firm | The Lawyer http://t.co/zLUkqaqh
- Are these Libor fines all fine? Lack of accountability and minuscule nature of payouts | The Lawyer http://t.co/DV2yIiI1
- Lawyers with football club clients should not underestimate the tough new financial controls regime | The Lawyer http://t.co/t6uCN6Du
- Cab rank on a ride to nowhere | The Lawyer http://t.co/J3SHC8pO
- The anti-online tracking campaigners harrying Google are the shock troops in a wider digital war | The Lawyer http://t.co/YQlcxwvE
- Firms are considering their options prior to the Jackson reforms deadline in April | The Lawyer http://t.co/LJghRHBr
- The Belgian market is packed so why are firms still eager to get a look-in? | The Lawyer http://t.co/oxEjH3I6
- Privatisation work is trickling back into Greece and foreign investor interest is resurfacing | The Lawyer http://t.co/795K2C83
- Profit on the margins | The Lawyer http://t.co/RCqYFO2O
- Effectiveness and appropriateness of the Scottish Parliament in terms of legislative reform | The Firm http://t.co/CxYX1FFw
- Forensics conference aims to produce "Agenda for Change" in legal handling of expert evidence | The Firm http://t.co/ssSrImK6
- Police Station Duty Participation Hits 50% | The Firm http://t.co/IdOB44E1
- 2000 firms in crisis talks as ABS bites | The Firm http://t.co/BaUU4VJO
- Strategies for responding to the challenges faced by the Criminal Bar | The Barrister Magazine http://t.co/VxkCOVzY
- Minority Legal Orders in the UK | The Barrister Magazine http://t.co/mR0Mtrxd
- Tax warning over children’s wills | Law Gazette http://t.co/2K37NMAA
- Volunteers ‘unable to fill legal aid void’ | Law Gazette http://t.co/246sVPyn
- MoJ considers ending lump sum PI damages | Law Gazette http://t.co/ZMXdrtEA
- Barclays boss signals panel shakeup | Law Gazette http://t.co/Yz34FuIn
- MPs: family judges should talk to children | Law Gazette http://t.co/SSAAmhzS
- Ministers tight-lipped on EU opt-out | Law Gazette http://t.co/U22kiwsX
- PM ‘mad’ to cut legal aid for EU immigrants | Law Gazette http://t.co/rRWBY9G5
- How To: get a training contract | Law Gazette http://t.co/QG4gQ8rX
- Freedom of information | Law Gazette http://t.co/maAj9i8z
- SRA denies 2,000 firms in crisis talks | Law Gazette http://t.co/iX6vlcwb
- US eases curbs on foreign in-house lawyers | Law Gazette http://t.co/BucSqcf7
- Two law firms on Cameron’s Indian mission | Law Gazette http://t.co/oN2kjVYv
- Supreme court denies government pressure to select a woman. Senior legal figures believe promotion of three male judges to highest court delayed because ministers want a woman to fill one of the vacancies. Full story - Guardian Law
- Ministers are to consider the case for successful personal injury claimants to receive damages over a period of time rather than in one lump sum. Full story - Law Gazette
- Profit on the margins - You don’t have to be a big firm to innovate and thrive in a downturn - 10 inspiring stories from Law Firms. Full story - The Lawyer
- Lord Kerr warns that councils will 'exploit' Supreme Court ruling. Homeless families can be accommodated in separate flats and do not have to be housed in the same units, Supreme Court justices ruled. Full story - Solicitor's Journal
- The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has rejected a demand by the Legal Services Board (LSB) that it start a review of the separate business rule, saying it can see “very little public interest justification” for doing so. Full story - Legal Futures
Notable Articles of the week:
The UK and international articles of the week are pieces selected by @TheLawMap tweeting team based on recommendations from friends and followers of LawNewsIndex.com daily law news blog.
- International law isn't 'real' - pseudo-consensus on what the law 'is', but simply a consensus among elites | Nanjala Nyabola - Al Jazeera
- Beyond Asimov: the struggle to develop a legal framework for robots | Mark Piesing - Wired
- Why giving men anonymity in rape cases is a bad idea | Lisa Longstaff - The Guardian
News from the Law Firms & Chambers:
Friday 22nd February
- K&L calls for post-Dewey transparency with comprehensive financial report http://t.co/Y5M0BnpTty
- Field Fisher adds two partners to revamped executive committee http://t.co/Xnkz19nYeJ
- KPMG report reveals £3.8m Cobbetts price tag and £41m creditor bill http://t.co/t54e6Y1jJD
- DLA Piper cuts 10 Hong Kong jobs in capital markets amid IPO slump http://t.co/PnB9vWsMD7
- Former Linklaters US chief exits firm in six-strong team move http://t.co/20WhiRt7uZ
- Quarter of UK top 40 firms eye up mergers with non-legal practices http://t.co/9qYAs9UXPk
- Simmons grows Bristol base as support positions go west http://t.co/7wxymiAV1d
- ABSs to the fore as Quindell claims 15% of PI market and Countrywide sees profits rise http://t.co/vpnHYY6bhR
- DLA Piper cuts China capital markets team in Asia-Pac review http://t.co/Rj5zeAO7cj
- Herbies' UK arm retains 75 per cent of March qualifiers http://t.co/1JmsWSDSYV
- Malaysian firm ZICOlaw opens in Myanmar http://t.co/90L4btpUJy
- Carter-Ruck and 5RB secure verdict against McCann contempt solicitor http://t.co/rL2s4dCuUO
- New-look Dentons to go live on 28 March - and 2 April http://t.co/XnNOTWYD3o
- Norton Rose seals third Canada deal with employment bolt-on http://t.co/3yycq0HGB6
- Gibson Dunn on hand as Nat Rothschild fails in Bumi tussle http://t.co/olTA71BPHp
- CC and Thomson Reuters team up for online anti-bribery training initiative http://t.co/Hsbdecuy
- Linklaters seals hire of Germany corporate heavyweight Haarmann http://t.co/M85CoFxu
- Slaughters, Paul Weiss and Sullivan advise on Countrywide IPO http://t.co/D6pcaUXD
- FFW's Abell brings in Herbert Smith for dispute over exit to Bird & Bird http://t.co/YjlRsixU
- Land Securities overhauls panel amid magic circle 'retreat' from property http://t.co/sPvnTWR9
- BLP secures approval for Beijing launch this May http://t.co/laNDIkAS
- BLP to open third Asia office after gaining Beijing licence http://t.co/d6C8oEKz9h
- Ex-Cumberland Ellis partner wins Wedlake Bell senior partner race http://t.co/N6Li3pP5GT
- K&L Gates reveals flat financials with decreased US revenue http://t.co/MLeuhdMXLu
- Paul Hastings' PEP broke $2m mark in 2012 http://t.co/ulsH4GXck1
- FFW adds partner duo to executive committee http://t.co/Tm7HohpQR2
- Withers turns to Appleby for pan-Europe investment push http://t.co/IMoP956FoK
- Eversheds adds Akin Gump partner to City energy team http://t.co/eehFxKdvFf
- Bingham results reveal impact of service centre as PEP falls http://t.co/fic2QFHkd3
- Stewarts Law partner struck off after private prosecution http://t.co/XEoF6B7x
- Simmons adds Nixon Peabody partner to Paris team http://t.co/lorvVwg9
- Maalouf Ashford finds foothold in Brazil and India http://t.co/6wCsJvFS
- Hogan Lovells IP partner David Latham dies on Tube http://t.co/rPqhETu6
- Magnusson boosts Denmark with Eversheds managing partner http://t.co/d61jpvaY
- Haarmann Hemmelrath co-founder joins Linklaters in Frankfurt http://t.co/wpfW6kVN
- Withers to launch international family consulting group http://t.co/9NTOLijD
- Herbies and Hogan Lovells appointed to Land Securities panel http://t.co/a5PDFDV5
- Abell brings in Herbies as FFW dispute escalates http://t.co/5suNOTK1
- Hogan Lovells mourns loss of intellectual property partner Latham http://t.co/Ot4PVeQZ
- Links among just four firms to win Singapore licences after 23 apply http://t.co/bqdWdAAU
- US trio join Linklaters in winning Singapore licences http://t.co/yzbHBkXG
- Macfarlanes continues hedge fund push with Akin Gump partner hire http://t.co/WQ5NQBlt
- A&O and Paul Hastings among law firms on billion-dollar Singapore REIT IPO http://t.co/g913BsD5
- Cupar legal firm McQuittys’ work suspended during accounting investigation http://t.co/ADg7V0N6
- Jones Day reveals retention rate drop http://t.co/iHh2sfO3
- Weil leads as Reader's Digest publisher files for bankruptcy again http://t.co/MHYP9BPn
- CMS and Wragges on scene for Blockbuster store sale to Morrisons http://t.co/27BE11zg
- Macfarlanes boosts hedge funds offering with Akin Gump hire http://t.co/GVdFhwev
- Portugal's PLMJ launches international projects team http://t.co/Vk14uVWj
- King & Wood Mallesons appoints new Oz chairman http://t.co/yGoXPmBI
- Stewarts launches international arbitration practice with Mayer Brown partner hire http://t.co/KYQKBtbq
- Pinsents takes on four-partner life sciences team in Fasken hire http://t.co/VBGB0r8R
- A&O and Allens lead on multibillion-dollar Vietnam energy project http://t.co/1MtB2v0v
- DLA's Angel joins David Cameron's trade delegation to India http://t.co/zzCeDgqF
- Wragges leads as Morrisons secures Blockbuster administration store deal http://t.co/vrejekpv
- Linklaters and trio of US firms gain Singapore licences http://t.co/nLfRIzv9
- Anthony Collins continues recruitment drive with managerial hires http://t.co/ODfDuFi5
- Teacher Stern snaps up London firm Butcher Burns http://t.co/J6wFrKfg
- St Philips Chambers to launch in London and Leeds http://t.co/BSjvX0e9
- 39 Essex St revamps fees as another 4-5 Gray's Inn silk joins http://t.co/qxDgMHm6
- DLA Piper senior partner Tony Angel joins PM on 100-strong India business delegation http://t.co/RRQ1teNp
- Pinsents takes four-partner life sciences team from Fasken http://t.co/uXP5kGEM
We would like to thank all the publications cited in this week's column. Please notify via @TheLawMap Twitter handle of any errors or omissions.
TheLawMap Publications at a glance:
LawNewsIndex.com - Daily Law News Archive
SundayLawReview.com - Weekly Law Business News Blog
Law Specials - A compendium of articles on Justice & Society
Wig - Daily Newspaper Focusing on Law & Society
MetaLawIndex - Informal Blog chronicling behind the scene events at LawNewsIndex & Twitter
