Conveyancing

Articles

Update: local government

Peter Hill reviews a ruling allowing councils to combine their services, a challenge to the proposed reduction of funding for the BSF programme, and the deluge of new legislation set to radically change the shape of local government

Firm not entitled to fees after 'sacking' client

A firm which refused to continue acting for a client in a row over fees must repay the entire amount plus VAT, the High Court has ruled.

The sunny side of the street

If you were left deflated by last week's prediction that conveyancing will be lawyer-free by 2020, fear not. Property optimist Jonathan Smithers is on hand to rebuild hope

Pickles prevails in judicial review of planning policy

Developer Cala Homes has failed to overturn a planning statement sent by communities secretary Eric Pickles to local authorities, requiring them to take into account the government's commitment to abolish the regional planning strategies.

New franchise offers ABS-proof structure

Law firms seeking to gear up ahead of 6 October will be able to federate under a new brand presenting itself as an alternative to existing pre-ABS structures such as QualitySolicitors, ContactLaw, GetSolicitors and highstreetlawyers.com.

Exile on main street

Come 2020, lawyers will be as rare as period features in the de-skilled world of conveyancing, predicts Andrew Lund

Internet puts surrogacy back on agenda

Changes to surrogacy laws could return to the parliamentary agenda after a ruling last week upholding a surrogate mother's decision not to hand over a baby that left the prospective parents childless and £4,500 out of pocket.

Appeal judges back farmer on polytunnels

The Court of Appeal has backed a Herefordshire farmer who uses polytunnels to grow soft fruit on his farm in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the Wye Valley.