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17 July 2009 / Daniella Lipszyc
Issue: 7378 / Categories: Features , Legal services , Profession
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Legislative loopholes

Daniella Lipszyc says loopholes in law can tie the legal profession in knots

Legal professionals have always looked for new sectors to expand their business. More than 10 years ago solicitors looked to personal injury to increase revenue streams, now it seems the focus has shifted to financial irregularity (FI).

Upward rise in FI

In the past 12 months there has been a marked increase in the number of FI cases being pursued in courts across the country. The Financial Ombudsman Service’s (FOS) annual report shows a dramatic rise in the number of payment protection insurance (PPI) claims that have been successfully resolved. Complaints about PPI nearly tripled in 2008/09, with 89% of claims resolved in favour of the consumer.

This trend is set to continue, with the FOS predicting a rise in all areas of FI claims. The FOS anticipates that in the next financial year it will process 150,000 new cases. It estimates that 16,000 will relate to credit card agreements; 18,000 will concern current accounts and 25,000 on PPI.
Having dipped

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Caroline Pope & Bob Maynard

Gateley Legal—Caroline Pope & Bob Maynard

Construction team bolstered by hire of senior consultant duo

Switalskis—four appointments

Switalskis—four appointments

Firm expands residential conveyancing team with quadruple appointment

mfg Solicitors—Claire Pope

mfg Solicitors—Claire Pope

Private client team welcomes senior associatein Worcester

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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