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Traps & SLAPPs

21 February 2025 / Frank Maher
Issue: 8105 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services , Profession , Regulatory , Risk management , Rule of law
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208719
A litigator’s year of risk: Frank Maher runs through some of the challenges that lie ahead

The speed of change continues apace in the world of litigation, with a constant stream of challenges provided by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the courts. We look at two key areas here, interim billing and ethics, but there will doubtless be others.

Bills bills bills

The first key area of interest we address for litigators is the question of interim billing of costs and the impact of s 70 of the Solicitors Act 1974, recently reported to have been described as a ‘relic’ by Lord Justice Coulson. It is critical to consider whether the firm wants its interim bills to be merely on account, or statute bills, with the consequences which flow on being able to sue on them, time limits for challenge, and generally the inability to charge for anything omitted from the bill. There have been several examples of courts ordering detailed assessments of law firms’ bills amounting to

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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
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
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
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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