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06 November 2008
Issue: 7344 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
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Size is no barrier to excellence

Research

Small firms can be as innovative and competitive as the City giants, legal research shows.

Three partner Liverpool law firm Goldsmith Williams made the top ten in Sweet & Maxwell and CRF’s Top Legal Employers study. The firm, which employs 240 members of staff, ranked top for innovation and corporate social responsibility. It has developed unique e-conveyancing GWLive software, which gives mortgage brokers 24-hour access to information held by solicitors.

John Jones, director of learning and development at the firm, says: “The idea for GWLive originated in-house and was developed entirely by our own employees. We are immensely proud of GWLive and that our policy of encouraging staff to put forward their ideas has resulted in a software programme that now underpins the procedures of the whole firm”
Berwin Leighton Paisner ranked highest for pay and benefits, and took first place overall for the second year running.

The judges were impressed by its private medical insurance programme, which offers employees cash bonuses for adopting a healthier lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue: 7344 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Weightmans—Elborne Mitchell & Myton Law

Weightmans—Elborne Mitchell & Myton Law

Firm expands in London and Leeds with dual merger

Boodle Hatfield—Clare Pooley & Michael Duffy

Boodle Hatfield—Clare Pooley & Michael Duffy

Private wealth and real estate firmpromotes two to partner and five to senior associate

Constantine Law—James Baker & Julie Goodway

Constantine Law—James Baker & Julie Goodway

Agile firm expands employment team with two partner hires

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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