This week's scathing attack on legal aid cuts came from the musician turned solicitor David Rowntree and from a very senior judge, Lord Neuberger. Rowntree is the drummer with the acclaimed 90s Britpop band Blur and his criticism of the government came after it had been revealed that a subsidiary of the haulage firm Eddie Stobart had emerged as a leading contender in bidding for a new generation of criminal legal aid contracts that would deprive defendants of the right to choose their own solicitor. Hypothetically speaking, if the Legal Aid Agency contract is won by the same business who had also won the contract to provide security for prison, this privatised justice system could mean one ends up being represented by the same company that also jails. Lord Neuberger, the President of the Supreme Court, had said that changes in the legal aid system meant that while any citizen should be able to take a case to court no matter how small it may be, some would be prevented or seriously disadvantaged from pursuing the litigation path.
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:
- Domestic regulation boosts overseas expansion | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/eXdijX5CUN
- Employment tribunal to lose power to make wider recommendations in discrimination cases | Out-Law.com http://t.co/1BVkF8BSu4
- Fees every five minutes in Law Society guide to unbundling | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/MqEXxH1JVf
- Grayling to face crime lawyers | Law Gazette http://t.co/Oah8h3eEYE
- ‘Significant concerns’ over costs budgeting | Law Gazette http://t.co/dcrx5XgdNf
- Magic circle trio among host of global firms to land spots on Deutsche Bank's domestic panel | Legalweek http://t.co/NhdSltDGut
- London partnership prospects sink as promotions at UK top 30 drop by 17% | Legalweek http://t.co/wCQQXKIayI
- Law firms lose lustre as students mull alternative career options | Legalweek http://t.co/guc0VDmf2V
- Wealth manager Bellpenny targets solicitor and accountant IFA arms after acquisition | Money Marketing http://t.co/KB9FVhJmgC
- Just two comparison websites sign up to new legal standards | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/eha5Nx3hzy
- Britain’s fragile legal legacy | Law Gazette http://t.co/7ss34rLnhp
- Guidance for law firms collecting diversity data | Law Gazette http://t.co/x2RraSeFH2
- Bar regulator bids to take heat out of QASA standoff | Law Gazette http://t.co/6BP91LLY8Y
- Top judges issue guidance over private hearings | New Law Journal: http://t.co/T9oVWfM2ql
- Could "pay as you go" help low income clients? | New Law Journal: http://t.co/3troH8Ul5i
- Proportionality rule is “boggling” says personal injury expert | New Law Journal: http://t.co/neW3JoFwlx
- Plans to slash fees go ahead despite concerns that lawyers won’t be able to cover costs | New Law Journal: http://t.co/NIc1qwe2pP
- Multi-millionaire does not have to pay housing & lifetime maintenance 20 years after divorce | New Law Journal: http://t.co/bL5m9hNvWB
- Government strikes tough note on immigration | New Law Journal: http://t.co/THP3RcW31k
- Halsbury Legal Awards winners | New Law Journal: http://t.co/5WzYXUwju8
- Facebook and flexible friends, time of contrast for the fortunes of women in the workforce | Law Gazette http://t.co/BrMIW20C87
- Home Office policy on discretionary leave for children ruled unlawful | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/AC6AeJhMFl
- Family email advice line tries to fill gap left by cuts | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/Ww93ohABoR
- Advocates should “adapt to realities” of criminal legal aid cuts, Lord Neuberger says | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/D2LG3QrMOk
- Number of CLC-regulated ABSs reaches 35 | Legal Futures http://t.co/A1Mqj4nI3a
- Which way now for Personal Injury lawyers? | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/EPygMfST0U
- Consolidation continues as Jackson reforms take hold of claimant sector | The Lawyer http://t.co/pI674NeOqy
- CoA throws out £400m Northern Rock appeal | The Lawyer http://t.co/ipIbFMjeH8
- Support for deaf clients | Law Gazette http://t.co/GlbuzpqkNL
- State must provide ‘genuine access’ – Neuberger’s rebuke to government | Law Gazette http://t.co/mVB6q0rRk4
- Legal price comparison websites "begin to sign up" to good practice standards | Legal Futures http://t.co/cCjJ2VCFpV
- Home secretary must pay solicitor’s fees after client ‘vanished’ | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/ARZH9lCysx
- Mesothelioma Bill promises £355m for victims | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/hGJolay2XB
- Queen's Speech reveals national insurance reforms for LLPs | The Lawyer http://t.co/7IYz7JBpYU
- Equality commitments take hit at magic circle firms | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/1Sv23C66bY
- Rival lawyers urge Eddie Stobart to 'truck off' | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/sw2mWuS4XW
- UK Government ramps up new law introduction | The Global Legal Post http://t.co/1WMOenzEOp
- Immigration, rehabilitation and deregulation reforms in Queen’s speech | Law Gazette http://t.co/JjaF9g9NnN
- ‘Expect further transactions’, Slater & Gordon says, as it buys Simpson Millar | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/9P3ZXwjC7T
- Increased risk of ‘misuse of client money’ by solicitors, SRA warns | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/UWeZphdmYU
- Leveson counsel Robert Jay QC joins High Court bench | The Lawyer http://t.co/4H2jz6NqG1
- Deadline looming to stay on the roll, SRA warns | Law Gazette http://t.co/DA63I5UXrf
- Bar: legal aid plans will ‘irreversibly undermine access’ | Law Gazette http://t.co/pTbAdukCXX
- UK Government Plans to Revamp Consumer Laws Concerning Digital Content http://t.co/qsiFmHtGOK
- UK Court Appeal of EU Short-Selling Law to Be Heard June 11 | Bloomberg http://t.co/a6T8b1m9wK
- Eddie Stobart drives into legal aid row | Guardian Law http://t.co/OHWMej7M3V
- SRA: we expect more large law firms to go under | Legal Futures http://t.co/nScioUr61S
- Legal IT systems involve significant financial investment in software | Law Gazette http://t.co/YKDGDN7iA3
- Struggle over financial limits for small claims is traditionally difficult for lawyer policymakers | Law Gazette http://t.co/PHCWrJHSMz
- Tenants who make unlawful alterations have no right to enfranchise | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/r3bBhecTDc
- A revolution in French employment law? | The Lawyer http://t.co/4TYGQL7P3p
- France is to allow gay marriage: unlike England, courts are not prepared if the union ends in divorce | The Lawyer http://t.co/TBdLaEArm2
- New Defamation Act’s demand claimants prove serious damage first could end the gravy train of McLibels | The Lawyer http://t.co/6N0PAHnEmx
- Contracting parties that don’t take advice on which law governs their agreement are asking for trouble | The Lawyer http://t.co/4ZfFxLdE6Z
- Abu Dhabi financial free zone means opportunities for common law-qualified lawyers | The Lawyer http://t.co/DnhYM5N9yz
- New rules governing international arbitration have lawyers debating how much regulation is required | The Lawyer http://t.co/CxGYMxVmbt
- Law Firms shortlisted for The Lawyer Awards upped game in a grim market with hard work & imagination | The Lawyer http://t.co/1fv2nIXwBj
- SDT strikes off two Wolstenholmes solicitors | Solicitors Journal http://t.co/U9RMxIqOFe
- International litigants in London rise by a third in three years | The Lawyer http://t.co/6cJac9p8Om
- Is it you? The Lawyer Awards shortlist unveiled | The Lawyer http://t.co/0BXOybqkDw
- Rise in number of new UK laws prompts red-tape claims | FT.com http://t.co/DXfGaP8LyR
- Forget the City - work-life balance is more of a problem for crime lawyers | Legal Futures http://t.co/R9eaUC8OnN
- ABS acquires conveyancing firm to continue diversification strategy away from PI | Legal Futures http://t.co/m7szEEs1Mi
- Queen's Speech 2013: What's expected - Bill-by-bill | The BBC http://t.co/YYGg2g80xG
- Commercial property: Energy Act 2011 | Law Gazette http://t.co/qlTnQfigV3
- Lawyers need to ‘network widely’ | Law Gazette http://t.co/LnZCYysrDL
- Gateway aims to help vulnerable | Law Gazette http://t.co/G73i3IXUZj
- Pre-emption rebuke from Lords | Law Gazette http://t.co/NLSF363y6S
- HJA rejects Magdalene ‘cash cow’ slurs | Law Gazette http://t.co/YRDXAL5Z1M
- Most criminal firms to snub PCT contracts | Law Gazette http://t.co/JQMojb6MTp
- Women trailing at magic circle elite | Law Gazette http://t.co/70Ml3iCS94
Interesting articles on the study of law, legal training, pupillage and legal academia:
- Law students eye career away from firms http://t.co/RevXBK7Ov0
- The Westminster school auction; school invites parents to pay for internships and mini-pupillage http://tinyurl.com/cqdtbv5 & http://tinyurl.com/cpk3neu
- University of Law targets family law problems http://tinyurl.com/bunmu83
- Law students divided over whether BPP’s offer to unemployed LPC graduates is a great help for students or a marketing gimmick http://tinyurl.com/cwts5xl
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.
- Legal aid tendering: will it actually work? | Joshua Rozenberg - Guardian Law
- Misogyny behind Irish State controls on women’s reproductive rights | Jacky Jones - The Irish Times
- Orphan Works - the new law in the UK | Francis Davey - Open Rights Group
- UK's New Defamation Law May Accelerate The Death Of Anonymous User-Generated Content Internationally | Eric Goldman - Forbes
- Legal aid cuts risks damaging civilised society, warns senor judge Lord Neuberger, the President of the Supreme Court | Tom Whitehead - The Telegraph
- Privatised justice is no justice at all: Chris Grayling's radical changes to legal aid could mean being represented by the same company that jails you | Nina Power - The Guardian
Lawyers, Law Firms, Chambers & ABS in the news this week:
Friday 10th May
- Solicitor wins £550,000 for false imprisonment http://t.co/ZQFEmavXGY
- US firm’s lawyer joins Cambridge Law Firm Taylor Vinters http://t.co/lRoKy3TjDC
- Quinn Emanuel heads down under http://t.co/JKPjNEibtW
- Quinn Emanuel launches in Sydney with HSF partners http://t.co/4rf0QUuO6x
- Sausage-skin maker raids Dairy Crest for first London in-houser http://t.co/bK7f6lbgsE
- Ex-Dewey tax partner exits Linklaters' Washington base for KPMG http://t.co/2cYRFS5p78
- Ex-Cobbetts debt recovery arm cuts 44 staff in redundancy round http://t.co/8lyAi1g5PL
- Freshfields adjusts associate pay but trainee salaries are frozen again http://t.co/9NpqeuRYn5
- Freshfields freezes associate pay as trainee salaries unchanged again http://t.co/lH2kHToK7D
- PI diversification continues as Antony Hodari snaps up Tandem Law http://t.co/5QUAR3qqAu
- Quindell: no reason for share price plummet http://t.co/D1oYBvUT6a
- North-west ABS targets national practice after London launch http://t.co/uUWrBj2HBe
- Shakespeares becomes one of largest firms to gain licence http://t.co/dznzK7FEs9
- Freshfields' Red Knight hails United's 'heir to Busby' http://t.co/M7hgROLwJI
- Barclays deputy GC leads the race in scramble to replace Harding http://t.co/rVft0kWzQd
- Linenhall Chambers gives send off to retiring barrister Jeannie France-Hayhurst http://t.co/qaHGuvJ0Me
- Stephenson Harwood seals Myanmar tie-up http://t.co/t84YdZUXhq
- Boodle Hatfield takes gender diversity gong http://t.co/la9QUEPCQE
- Latham lands Shearman team ahead of Düsseldorf opening http://t.co/aikHxQbb6N
- Senior Swedish partners team up for boutique launch http://t.co/U9tn7Q0LbX
- DWF bulks up real estate with Eversheds team http://t.co/wO0RKox7LY
- Linklaters beefs up relaunched DC base with Bingham tax duo http://t.co/0q7WQcAuk5
- Herbies brings in Aussie corporate chief to rejig London corporate structure http://t.co/T5Jg6hlVpa
- Hill Dickinson and Bond Dickinson unveil partnership promotions rounds http://t.co/yMKU5NQG20
- Fulbright London partners dodge Norton Rose UK remuneration system http://t.co/Jo89MV11uz
- Latham hires four-partner Shearman team for Duesseldorf launch http://t.co/jsOaKaAfHU
- Stephenson Harwood continues Asia push with Myanmar association deal http://t.co/0SLo6KyNyR
- Linklaters boosts Washington tax practice with Bingham partner duo http://t.co/LFDwussXGb
- Mishcons sees turnover rise 14% as firm makes up one partner http://t.co/vQKKlqUH7f
- Wragges to outsource staff and cut up to 30 jobs in support restructuring http://t.co/m0fMb9AuEp
- Freeth Cartwright has appointed a new managing partner at its Nottingham office http://t.co/WqVA1PVP7D
- Wragge & Co launches redundancy consultation with 30 at risk http://t.co/tuaylYnjmk
- Dentons makes first post-merger hires in Germany http://t.co/oYnQQaafdG
- Linklaters NQs receive 4 per cent salary boost to £64k http://t.co/H9zD3TWc1E
- Aussie Law Firm Seeks $62 Million for UK Deals http://t.co/GSRS7GsEij
- Slater & Gordon to stump up £23m for triple acquisition http://t.co/Vn3sEPn4vr
- Peverel Group names new head of legal http://t.co/QMGY3xnUrH
- Anderson Strathern reappointed as advisor to The Crown Estate http://t.co/ahf4myBSFW
- Bird & Bird snares franchising duo from FFW after Abell hire http://t.co/bmn8RER46C
- Fulbright London partners clinch opt-out from Norton Rose's UK LLP http://t.co/sR1Lg8Piua
- Solicitors' firms to 'vanish from Cumbrian High Street due to sweeping Government reforms such as cuts in Legal Aid' http://t.co/ACFK8uV2O1
- Leveson lead counsel Robert Jay appointed judge http://t.co/51ekjedpgn
- Acquisitive Quindell posts big jump in profits http://t.co/2NZZCViAJu
- Nokia litigation boss Richard Vary - leading tiny team at the heart of the great 21st century patent war http://t.co/8n51lJlQu7
- Tees Law recruits International Family Law specialist as the number of cross-border family cases quadruples http://t.co/QKIFBbj7Rx
- Ashurst axes partners from super-plateau after six years of grace http://t.co/qAnqLF0Z8c
- Iglo GC plans exit after six years at Birds Eye owner http://t.co/hHn4GAz6Qj
- Slater & Gordon makes its personal injury play with trio of acquisitions http://t.co/4GchHNXjOw
- ABS Quindell posts 900% increase in turnover and profit http://t.co/Z5TzN5vnRG
- Bristol firms lead on £3.9m investment in Dragons' Den reject Trunki http://t.co/j4DkO9q863
- Greenberg Traurig and Macfarlanes deliver £1 City Link sale to Better Capital http://t.co/zPUMAXAlud
- Dundas partner joins Payne Hicks Beach in further construction push http://t.co/zWNz43TrWW
- Slater & Gordon set to acquire trio of UK personal injury practices http://t.co/ycWc9leUgz
- Parabis on verge of £90m merger with Greenwoods http://t.co/c71zNYTa3l
- Barclays MD: in-house faces cost pressures http://t.co/AC7IyJatSV
- The Transfer Window: recent moves including Latham, CC and A&O http://t.co/CGf8A62ZnA
- Law firm set up new service to encourage Bulgarian/ Romanian immigrants to cash in on Britain’s compensation culture http://t.co/rpyCoJaP9F
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.
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