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10 February 2017 / Kerry Underwood
Issue: 7733 / Categories: Features
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Anywhere county court 2018: send in the clowns

nlj_7733_underwood

A play by Kerry Underwood

The scene: One of the four remaining county courts. A personal injury small claim hearing is taking place.

 

Judge: “Good morning. Please introduce yourself.”

 

Claimant’s representative : “I am Fat Fred from the Dog and Duck.”

 

Judge : “I have a note from the Ipswich Union Insurance Company saying:

 

`Do your worst–£400.00. In fact as part of our corporate social responsibility kick throw in the extra £25.00 for the psychological injury—that will get a nice bunch of flowers.’”

 

Fat Fred: “I want as much as possible as quickly as possible. I am on 60% of damages.

 

Judge: “You mean 40% for you and 60% for your client?”

 

Fat Fred : “I know what I mean. I am a McKenzie Friend. I can do what I want.”

 

Judge : “I see. The medical evidence is from a Doctor Doolittle Is he here?”

 

Fat Fred : “Yes, that’s me. I am a McKenzie

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Winckworth Sherwood—Charlotte Coleman & Qaisar Sheikh

Winckworth Sherwood—Charlotte Coleman & Qaisar Sheikh

Two promoted to partner in property litigation and education teams

Dorsey & Whitney LLP—Peter Knust

Dorsey & Whitney LLP—Peter Knust

Cross-border finance and restructuring specialist joins as of counsel in London

Powell Gilbert—Callum Beamish-Lacey

Powell Gilbert—Callum Beamish-Lacey

IP firm promotes litigator to partnership

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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