header-logo header-logo

The inconvenient truth

08 July 2016 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7706 / Categories: Features , Wills & Probate
printer mail-detail

Dominic Regan discusses strange & unusual deaths

Death can be slightly inconvenient. It is not unknown in protracted hearings for the parties to insure the life of the judge. Should the worst occur, there will be a payout to meet the irrecoverable costs of having to start all over again. I have long wondered whether the judge concerned has to submit themselves to a medical examination, every orifice being probed. Insurance companies are notoriously cautious and would not wish to take on a risk that might prove to be a dead cert, as it were.

A lawyer who died in tragic circumstances was Garry Hoy, a partner in a Toronto law firm. His office was on the 24th floor of the Toronto–Dominion Centre, an impressive skyscraper you can inspect with Google Street View. Potential trainees were having a conducted tour of his firm. Garry was impressed by the fact that the windows were made of unbreakable glass. Bravado got the better of him and he decided to demonstrate this feature by running at and throwing

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