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06 March 2008
Issue: 7311 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Profession
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Top 100 play it cautious

News

Clients are increasingly asking their solicitors about their business continuity plans, according to Legal Risk Solicitors’ fifth annual survey.
More than three-quarters of the top 100 law firms have finalised a business continuity plan, while the rest have at least a draft plan in place.

However, just over a third of the 64 firms responding to the survey say they have tested their plans in the last 12 months.

The law firms responding to Legal Risk’s Top 100 Law Firm Professional Indemnity and Risk Management Survey 2008 include 22 of the top 30 firms and range from Magic Circle to the smaller firms.

Every firm states that it limits liability contractually at least part of the time. According to Legal Risk, limitation of liability clauses “are becoming more sophisticated and involve more than a simple liability cap...we doubt many firms limit liability 100% of the time”.

Some 14% of firms changed broker, while 9% changed insurer in a soft insurance market.
Legal Risk partner, Frank Maher, says: “The continued low cost of insurance is reflected in the fact that 25% of respondents increased cover.  However we believe there is a real risk that after this year’s renewal, not only will insurance costs rise significantly but some firms may have far more difficulty obtaining the cover they want.”

Issue: 7311 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Profession
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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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