Welcome to the year's 13th edition of the weekly 'Law Business' column brought to you by the SundayLawReview team. A week in which the Greater Manchester Police officially started to include hate crimes against members of subcultures such as Goths and Emos, and a nine month tug of war court battle over a missing feline was finally settled between the original owner and adoptive family, the serious end of the legal media was dominated by cuts to the legal aid budget. Articles on how to represent onself on court and cutting down the costs of getting divorced have been aplenty and it is doubtful whether there would be any end to them in the near future. Staying in the field of divorce, the 'marital coercion' defence, which had recently been used in the Vicky Pryce/Chris Huhne case may well be abolished. It is rarely used and the Law Commission had recommended scrapping it almost 35 years ago.
The latest class survey has revealed that the newly qualified solicitor is some distance away from being the 'fat cat lawyer' that the profession is often unfairly tarnished as. There is a real fear that Justice Secretary Chris Grayling's plans would reduce the justice system as nothing more than a Profit & Growth plc, where the lawyer is nothing more than a unit-shifter employed by a large corporation.
The purpose of this column is to take 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 of law within UK or as well as international developments of interest to UK law firms and legal practioners:
- Under Justice Secretary Chris Grayling's plans, lawyers will become unit-shifters employed by large corporations | Guardian Law http://tinyurl.com/c4qr6s8
- Police “criminalised people unnecessarily to hit targets” as cautions reviewed | The Firm http://t.co/NnFxY3uJnu
- What is true legal independence, and is the package on offer from the Scottish Government | The Firm http://t.co/OarbRunUcQ
- Post-Independence sovereignty confusion and need for new judicial oath | The Firm http://t.co/EpdQYbndxk
- Chancery Lane consults on ‘unworkable’ tendering exercise | Law Gazette
- Law Society stands by Jackson CFA guidance | Law Gazette http://t.co/XpPOEZKc8k
- Northern barristers vote en masse to reject QASA | Law Gazette http://t.co/DorTGhyJcX
- Law firm ABS aims to take on new entrants in their own backyards | Legal Futures http://t.co/NsEDTCWTLN
- Ex-Shearman’s partner bankrolls barrister-matching site | Law Gazette http://t.co/Xag8Soht6Q
- Lady Hale calls for more research into jury behaviour | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/QT4RHwtSjy
- QASA rebels raise flag in north of England | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/9i3BcKySca
- Practice rights come first, IPS says | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/FHv88h4iV5
- Anti-corruption awareness cleans up business practices | Global Legal Post http://t.co/TPMJbk9gQf
- Food safety ABS launches amid horsemeat and cod scandals | The Lawyer http://t.co/Unq7inwtfW
- International focus key to London market insurer panels | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/Io86SiynTW
- Motor insurer partners with law firm as referral ban bites | Law Gazette http://t.co/Jq1f3C6r0L
- Grayling sets sights on prisoners’ legal aid | Law Gazette http://t.co/AKEIR1rry3
- Senior judges disappointed by LSB’s ‘absence of consideration’ for courts | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/DhrD92NmjP
- High Court rejects bias allegation against SDT | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/GeiAF6y30I
- Grayling launches review of cautions | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/8IMsiWyCmh
- LSB hits back strongly at critics | Legal Futures http://t.co/t7EyCAo1WN
- Legal aid chief promises smooth transition to new agency | Law Gazette http://t.co/ZHFWbA05x2
- Unchastened LSB defends business plan | Law Gazette http://t.co/hfFezpCPvB
- Pro bono and volunteering | Law Gazette http://t.co/IkzrFv7NNN
- UK lawyers launch climate bootcamp | Global Legal Post http://t.co/egrj7yoM49
- Police cautions under review, says Ministry of Justice | The BBC http://t.co/Qxqk39RBJF
- LSB tells SRA: liberalisation of local authority solicitors charging for work does not go far enough | Legal Futures http://t.co/hQzzmp5502
- Top insurer launches ABS with personal injury law firm | Legal Futures http://t.co/IULQWdHR0C
- Law centres can charge clients | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/4Kq1VV6BLU
- Divorce rush hits ahead of legal aid cuts | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/DUUNIC6jGu
- Litigation wave set to hit UK | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/RcRsVMNybV
- Court interpreter service getting worse, new figures show | Law Gazette http://t.co/Y5jFeXSKmc
- Fresh cab-rank rule row as LSB approves public access reforms | Legal Futures http://t.co/pHipg7dwq1
- Candid camera? Barristers now free to talk to the media about their cases | Legal Futures http://t.co/qYaWa2ojkD
- Row as solicitors opt for separate representation in conveyancing | Estate Agent Today http://t.co/nWTR4qmp3u
- While Scottish banks prospered law firms lived like lairds - then came crash | The Lawyer http://t.co/2dBKWMfwUI
- Financial companies’ lawyers should brace themselves as the new regulator makes its mark | The Lawyer http://t.co/O6zlzq2cBb
- Are Scottish independents doomed? The Scottish legal market is on its knees: discuss.. | The Lawyer http://t.co/YqI8Y98Xfp
- City elite Law Firm in brand war over law to ban 'lazy' possessive suffixes | The Lawyer http://t.co/RX4EAu8ucz
- Barristers put their case for undercutting solicitors | This is Money http://t.co/xoB98rq3G1
- Head of single Scottish police force says separate forces in England and Wales are 'unsustainable' | The Telegraph http://t.co/c42A4FmU9Y
- Senior judge condemns legal aid cuts | Marilyn Stowe Blog http://t.co/hbVsiBUAFo
- Bar Council responds to MOJ statement on Court and Tribunal reform | The Bar Council http://t.co/i3lunVWxkh
Interesting articles on the study of law, legal training, pupillage and legal academia:
- University of Exeter law students have been awarded the prize for Best New Student Pro Bono Activity prize http://t.co/ksma9cYBYM
- Taking the consequences - Legal Scholars talking down Legal Practitioners? http://t.co/7zrhu1MqeX
- Law students face uncertain future with jobs scarce and debt high http://t.co/CMb8r0AXx3
- The Case Against Law School http://t.co/eyaT4YlON5
- Elite US law schools like Stanford step in to help war veterans http://t.co/Up7NYdHlOd
- Goldilocks and US Legal Education http://t.co/TJchKY5cSR
- Prostitution and free speech - SCOTUS for law students http://t.co/yrDqdbJTSU
- US Law school graduates aren't finding much on the employment docket http://t.co/ZlQr9ZewcN
- Law graduate sues Law school for hyping job prospects http://t.co/6MCdOak4I0
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.
- Violence And Dignity – Reflections On The Middle East | Noam Chomsky - Social Europe Journal
- The truth about women 'crying rape' | Eva Wiseman - The Observer
- A new world heaves into view this week with sweeping changes in the fields of welfare, justice, health and tax | Patrick Wintour - The Guardian
- Women’s rights are increasingly heralded as a useful propaganda device to further imperial designs? | Julie Lévesque - RT.com
News from the Law Firms & Chambers:
Friday 5th April
- Nabarro targets global growth with new role of international head http://t.co/BhN1bTD4S7
- KPMG Cobbetts report details £90m liabilities and potential SRA probe http://t.co/i3O7ZA7SJN
- Links tops Q1 Asia M&A rankings as global deal levels hit three-year low http://t.co/CMvNAWHrju
- Eversheds and OC join US firms as Cisco buys UK's Ubiquisys http://t.co/OR0DCFs4FN
- RAC lays foundations for ABS move with Quindell deal http://t.co/GyzmtvD8I8
- DWF among new firms to clinch places on NHS legal panel http://t.co/YCJwIurDJc
- Schulte Roth bulks up London restructuring with Brown Rudnick pair http://t.co/AKiY2LJuai
- Taylor Wessing hits Harbottle & Lewis for IP head Mark Owen http://t.co/9aCESfxjyx
- Nabarro names international head to lead global expansion http://t.co/IAmcsycJtu
- Cobbetts partners face scrutiny from SRA and administrators, says KPMG report http://t.co/AiyHRL78DJ
- London law firm Howard Kennedy Fsi claims win in Cambodian statue case http://t.co/xe5UBGHQg2
- Trowers makes up four female lawyers in seven-strong partnership round http://t.co/F1zXGYDXi1
- Bird & Bird, Herbert Smith advise as RBS investors launch £4bn claim http://t.co/K6kbU91NNH
- Herbert Smith leads as ex-Freshfields chief Salz unveils Barclays critique http://t.co/YgjLZLQjDI
- Holland & Knight hires ex-DLA Islamic finance head Agha http://t.co/o39k7Q5ZsH
- Manchester's Glaisyers splits in two in 'bid to boost turnover' http://t.co/NEINJz5uGb
- Third-party funder backs RBS misrepresentation claims http://t.co/EHoDkvTxXp
- Insurer Ageas launches ABS with Cardiff's NewLaw http://t.co/wjz8V5BEGJ
- BLP real estate head MacGregor to hand reins to de Pury http://t.co/gLUSO3KiFa
- Trowers & Hamlins adds seven to partnership http://t.co/rtUy7nF9Jt
- Bird & Bird continues international roll-out with Swiss deal http://t.co/3npYrvVPZg
- Parabis expands in Scotland with Brodies hires http://t.co/QMw3dSvs5e
- Trowers hands international managing partner role to Bahrain chief http://t.co/KsoMl2ccFm
- HSF opens two German offices http://t.co/iZScKnjSNB
- Eleven-partner finance regulatory team exits Bingham to join Sidley http://t.co/2fjJ1JtO2v
- Herbert Smith Freehills follows up Frankfurt launch with Berlin move http://t.co/6GNgwPSED1
- CC, DLA among firms on post-FSA Financial Conduct Authority panel http://t.co/BYZFPW32Qs
- Stephenson Harwood and Freshfields advise on Prudential's £30m FSA fine http://t.co/2DeoPXbtKJ
- Bird & Bird leads shareholders in record £4bn RBS suit http://t.co/gVpJIBgEsi
- Herbies adds Berlin to German expansion plan http://t.co/r7KOEvKwSV
- FFW and One Crown Office Row silk lead on fresh Hillsborough inquest http://t.co/9qYnWhIWzi
- Linklaters partner: female quotas would rub off on law firms http://t.co/cWKqIEa1WT
- Pannone court protection head quits firm for own start-up http://t.co/qWtOxn0gb2
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
