Archive

Local government update

Simon Chappel and Peter Hill review the progress of the Localism Act, the community right to challenge, the Health and Social Care Bill, academies and education reform and proposed changes to public procurement

Is it possible to recover retrospective success fees?

Simon Gibbs finds out where the judges stand

For richer, for poorer

Everybody seemed to agree that benevolent funds had a 'charitable' purpose even before it was confirmed in a ruling last month, so was this protracted court process a waste of time and expense? asks Vicki Bowles

Faulty breast implant removal: does your client have a claim?

Hugh Koch and Karen Addy review the psychological diagnosis process for women considering a compensation claim following the removal of faulty breast implants

New family arbitration scheme is no alternative to litigation

The sound rationale behind the new family dispute arbitration scheme doesn't mean it is a credible alternative to either mediation or litigation, says Miles Geffin

It's personal

High street firms will survive the onslaught of the big brands because we can provide what clients really want: personal service from someone they trust, says Russell Conway

QASA, the levelling scheme

Another year, another disappointment for solicitor advocates as none of the applicants for silk made the grade.

Carry on at the courthouse

One of my smaller, lower-value cases recently flared up. It was rather like the persistent, dull toothache, which I imagine prefaces an abscess. It concerns a property management business based in the North West, which was appointed by a private landlord from London to manage a house that she rents out in Preston. Once installed, the tenant persistently failed to pay her rent and allegedly kept several pets without the landlord's permission. The landlord ultimately had to evict the tenant and pursued her through the courts for the unpaid rent plus compensation for damage to the house, cleaning and redecoration costs.