In Brief

IN BRIEF

STRONGER SUPPORT

The three main solicitor support organisations— Solicitors Benevolent Association (SBA), Solicitors’ Assistance Scheme (SAS) and LawCare—have resolved to work more closely together in the provision of support and assistance to solicitors, their staff and families. The joint initiative has been launched in a bid to help lawyers tackle growing regulatory and other pressures. Many sole practitioners and smaller firms do not have the time to deal with client matters and comply with the mass of regulations and other administrative issues which arise, the groups say, and more support is needed.

BUNFIGHT HALTED

The looming court battle between the Law Society and two QC authors over the reproduction of the society’s Code of Conduct has been called off. Andrew Hopper QC and Gregory Treverton-Jones QC, authors of The Solicitor’s Handbook, threatened to sue the society after it refused to allow them to reproduce the full text of the code in a new version of their book—even though the Solicitors Regulation Authority had previously given the pair permission. The society will now publish the handbook in May 2008, which will contain the code of conduct in full.

DAMAGE CONTROL

A new approach to damages actions for breach of EC antitrust rules has been out lined by the European Commission in a White Paper. Recommendations include the introduction of representative actions for competition law breaches, opt-in collective actions in which victims can choose to participate and an EU-wide minimum level of disclosure inter partes involving judgecontrolled disclosure. Final infringement decisions of national competition authorities and review courts should be irrebuttable proof of the infringement in subsequent private enforcement proceedings, the paper says and the current acquis communautaire on the scope of damages should be codified.