header-logo header-logo

Ask Auntie

09 April 2009
Issue: 7364 / Categories: Opinion
printer mail-detail

Back Page Agony Column

* * * * * *

This Week's Top Question

So much personal injury work now settles before counsel is brought in that chaps like me in my chambers are getting to court to advocate less and less. The last thing we want to be forced to do is don the double breasted and a crisp white shirt to get them soiled in some filthy cell or magistrates' court or receive tuppence for taking on ancillary reliefs where the respondent's assets these days amount to minus not less than 20 grand. Do you have any ideas, Auntie?

Roland Cressfall, Tibia Annex, Bath

I wonder whether the process of quantitative easing which is favoured as a means of kick-starting the economy by the printing of a heavy volume of banknotes could be imitated in this unfortunate situation. A number of road traffic and industrial accidents might be staged as a means of creating claims and thereby increase the prospect of work for members of the Bar. The devil would be in the detail but perhaps

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll