P&O Ferries mass sackings
Max Winthrop, a member of our employment law committee, spoke with i News about employee rights following the mass sacking at P&O ferries.
Comparison Sites
Law Society vice president Lubna Shuja warned that comparison sites could shut out small firms and BAME solicitors, reports the Gazette, Business Fast and Business Mayor.
Lubna Shuja said: "It is difficult to develop meaningful benchmarks across a diverse range of practice areas that provide a snapshot of what quality service should look like across the whole sector."
'No fault' divorce
Mondaq reports on 'no fault' divorce, including a number of proposals to improve the system made by the Law Society. These include reintroducing legal aid for early advice to support divorcing couples and decreasing the current court fee for divorce.
Spring statement
Today's Conveyancer reports our response to the chancellor's Spring Statement.
Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce said: "Legal services make an enormous economic contribution to the UK and a healthy legal system is vital for individuals and businesses.
"We are keen to engage with the government over the plan to help design a tax system that works for legal services and allows us to get on with supporting people and businesses across the economy.
"We also welcome plans to explore whether the current tax system – including the operation of the Apprenticeship Levy – is doing enough to incentivise businesses to invest in the right kinds of training, an issue we have previously raised."
Legal world unites to help tackle cyber threat
Legal Futures cover our new questionnaire which is designed to help law firms better assess the cybersecurity arrangements of the chambers whose barristers they instruct.
"Law firms and Chambers, like all other businesses, are potential targets for the ever-growing threat from cyber criminals," said I. Stephanie Boyce.
"We know that no one tool can offer complete protection against cyber threats so firms will need to continue to take other precautions, but the development of the questionnaire is an important step in the right direction."
Law should be taught in schools
I. Stephanie Boyce is pushing for law to be part of the school curriculum, reports Legal Cheek.
"Pupils might think law is an elitist profession, that lawyers don't sound or look like them, or that they don't belong," said I. Stephanie Boyce. "If we start to teach law in schools from a young age then they are able to move through the education system and start to think about a career in law earlier."
Solicitors face higher hurdles
Today's Family Lawyer reports on the latest episode of BBC Radio 4's Law in Action which looked at judicial diversity.
I. Stephanie Boyce, who was interviewed on the programme, said there is a "glass ceiling" for solicitors and that appointment panels need better diversity so they are "better able to recognise a range of ways of demonstrating judicial skills".
Law firms and Russian clients
Today's Wills and Probate covers a letter from I. Stephanie Boyce to the Times about the relationship between English law firms and Russian clients.
Also worth a read:
- Roman Abramovich suffered 'suspected poisoning' at talks – BBC
- Russia compares sanctions to war – Guardian
- Ukraine claims Russian forces driven back – FT (£)
- Second P&O ferry detained over safety concerns – BBC
- UK's draft refugee and police laws are 'human rights vandalism,' says Amnesty – Guardian
- Partygate: Met Police to issue first fines, sources say – BBC
- UK 'interested' in creating joint first ministers in Northern Ireland – FT (£)
- SEND review: Children to receive earlier support in new government plans – BBC