Latest Legal News

Articles

Ready to engage

The legal profession must continue to find new ways to innovate and adapt, to meet the many challenges – and opportunities – that lie ahead, says Peter Lodder QC

Uncharted territory

The draft National Planning Policy Framework's less prescriptive form of national policy and conspicuous lack of clarity with regard to sustainable development means specialist legal advice will be ever more critical, say Gregory Jones QC and Isabella Tafur

Abramovich told to 'breathe deeply and look at the judge'

There was laughter in the Rolls Building yesterday when Roman Abramovich admitted he had been told to “breathe deeply and look at the judge” when giving evidence.

University challenged

What a relief for the profession. Judging by the number of applications for law courses, its future is safe. Graduate interest in law is still measured in thousands this year, with 13,139 applications, according to UCAS's latest figures. That's fewer than last year, for sure, which recorded 13,858 applications for law courses, but the drop is only 5.2 per cent – much better than the 7.9 per cent average across all subjects combined.

Passing the test

Far from being a victory for the Independent Schools Council, the Upper Tribunal ruling on the interpretation of the 'public benefit' test vindicates the Charity Commission's careful approach to the letter of the law, says Alice Holt

Paradise lost

High-net-worth individuals seeking solace from the Gaines-Cooper ruling will be tempted to look at the forthcoming new statutory residence test, but even that will impose strict conditions on tax exiles, say David Anderson and Andinee Pillay Jagambrun

Family ties

Do those without a legal interest in the homes they live in – such as spouses, partners and children – have a right to bring a private nuisance claim? Gregory Jones QC and Rebecca Clutten investigate

Automatic lawyer

Home-grown brands such as Saga and The AA have already thrown their lines in the legal services water and The Co-op has made no secret of its intention to develop its own legal offering. Over the summer a number of non-UK enterprises raised the stakes when they declared their interest in the online legal services market. US start-up LegalZoom raised $66m from venture capitalists Kleiner Perkins and Institutional Venture Partners and its founders have made a number of trips to Britain in recent months. It already has a reported annual turnover of $100m and is preparing for stock market flotation.