Both claimant and defendant personal injury lawyers have joined the opposition to controversial government plans to hike court fees by 420%—also opposed by the Lord Chief Justice, Bar Council and Civil Justice Council. The plan is to introduce a fee of 5% of the value of the claim on claims for more than £10,000, with a cap of £10,000. The current maximum fee is £1,920. Lawyers warn that small and medium sized businesses will be unable to take debtors to court. The deadline for responses to the consultation, Proposals for further reform to court fees, is 27 February.
29 January 2015
Court fees pressure
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: John McElroy, London Solicitors Litigation Association
From first-generation student to trailblazing president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, John McElroy of Fieldfisher reflects on resilience, identity and the power of bringing your whole self to the law
Clarke Willmott—Elaine Field
Planning and environment team expands with partner hire in Manchester
Birketts—Barbara Hamilton-Bruce
Firm appoints chief operating officer to strengthen leadership team
NEWS
A landmark Supreme Court ruling has underscored the sweeping reach of UK sanctions. In NLJ this week, Brónagh Adams and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper say the regime is a ‘blunt instrument’ requiring only a factual, not causal, link to restricted goods
Fraud claims are surging, with England and Wales increasingly the forum of choice for global disputes. Writing in NLJ this week, Jon Felce of Cooke, Young & Keidan reports claims have risen sharply, with fraud now a major share of litigation and costing billions worldwide
Litigators digesting Mazur are being urged to tighten oversight and compliance. In his latest 'Insider' column for NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School provides a cut out and keep guide to the ruling’s core test: whether an unauthorised individual is ‘in truth acting on behalf of the authorised individual’
Conflicting county court rulings have left landlords uncertain over whether they can force entry after tenants refuse access. In this week's NLJ, Edward Blakeney and Ashpen Rajah of Falcon Chambers outline a split: some judges permit it under CPR 70.2A, others insist only Parliament can authorise such powers
A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
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