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Insurance surgery: ATE (Pt 1)

In the first part of a three part series, Richard Whale provides an online guide to the new world of after-the-event insurance

The crazy pre-Jackson rush among lawyers to sign up clients to conditional fee agreements (CFAs) and after-the-event (ATE) insurance may be a receding memory but the impact of all that effort continues to be felt as many solicitors and insurers alike are still living off the proceeds.

The reality of life

But with each concluded pre-1 April 2013 case, the reality of life since the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) came into force becomes a little firmer. For some personal injury firms, of course, the moment has already arrived, with practices going bust, shutting up shop, merging or selling off their work in progress to get out and focus on more profitable matters. Given what we have seen in the first 12 months, when firms are still living off that pre-Jackson work, you have to wonder what difficulties some will be in after another 12

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

HFW—Simon Petch

HFW—Simon Petch

Global shipping practice expands with experienced ship finance partner hire

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Infrastructure specialist joins as partner in Glasgow office

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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