| WHO
ARE WE?
The
LSLA was formed in 1952 and currently represents
the interests of a wide range of civil litigators
in London. It has some 800 members throughout
London among all the major litigation practices,
ranging from the sole practitioner to major international
firms.
Members
of the LSLA Committee sit on the Civil Justice
Council, the Civil Rule Committee, The Law Society
Civil Litigation Committee, the Commercial Court
Users Committee and the Supreme Court Costs Group,
to name but a few. As a consequence, the LSLA
has become the first port of call for consultation
on issues affecting civil and commercial litigation
in London, and it has on many occasions been at
the forefront of the process of change. Representatives
from the City of London Law Society and the City
of Westminster and Holborn Law Society also sit
on the LSLA Committee.
Officers
President
David Greene,
Edwin Coe
Hon
Secretary Gavin Foggo, Fox Williams
Hon
Treasurer Seamus Smyth,
Carter Lemon Camerons
For
a full list of Committee members click
here
WHAT
DO WE DO?
The
Association has a long and successful history
of identifying and representing its members' interests.
It sponsors wide consultation and input to a process
of reaching of conclusions which have been at
the forefront of debate in the field of civil
litigation over many decades.
The
Association fosters its close working relationships
and links with all participants involved in the
management and reform of the unified civil code
affecting litigators, with particular reference
to the interests of litigators in London.
The
Association is regularly consulted by the DCA,
the Law Society, the Civil Justice Council and
the Supreme Court Costs Office to mention but
a few. Members benefit enormously from this breadth
of exposure.
BENEFITS
FOR MEMBERS
Consultation
The LSLA provides rapid feedback to its members
on ongoing consultations and debate, often allowing
members the opportunity to participate by e-mail
surveys or other forms of input.
Lectures
Each year the LSLA holds a series of lectures
on issues of topical concern. The quality of speakers
pays testament to the esteem in which the Association
is held. Click here
for details of the current series.
Newsletter
The LSLA's newsletter, Resolve, is published two
or three times a year and keeps all members up
to date with the many activities of the Association
as well as providing a forum for debate. To view
past issues
click
here.
Dinners
The Association holds two dinners each year. A
formal Dinner takes place in the autumn. The Dinner
which follows our AGM in March is a more informal
event at which a speaker is invited to lead a
discussion on a matter of topical interest on
a "Chatham House" basis.
Membership
To apply for membership click
here.
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CURRENT
ISSUES |
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Civil
Justice Council consultation on a General
Pre-Action Protocol
To
read the response of the LSLA click
here. |
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New
Business Court Building
Following
further consultation with respect to the
number of judicial functions which may be
transferred to the new Business Court building
in Fetter Lane, the stakeholder groups are
looking at proposals to slim down the number
of functions which are to be transferred. We
should know the results of this further
review in the next two months or so. It
may assist in refocusing the Court towards
heavier "business" disputes. In any event,
it seems clear that at the very least the
Judges within the Chancery Division, Commercial
Court and Technology and Construction Court
will be transferring when the building is
completed.
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Commercial
Court Long Trials Working Party - Read the
Report and Recommendations!
The
LSLA was delighted to contribute two members
to the Working Party - Simon Davis and Graham
Huntley.
The
recommendations of the Working Party were
unanimously adopted by the Commercial Court
Users' Committee on 20 November 2007 and
they are to be put into practice in the
Commercial Court for a trial period running
from 1 February till the end of the year
(not to 31 July 2008
as originally envisaged.) All practitioners
are expected to adopt the arrangements in
full. To read more,
including the full report
click here
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Jack
Straw's "about turn" in relation
to the "Return to Practice by Former
Salaried Judges" proposals
LSLA
members will remember that at the end of
last year they were asked for their views
on the Government's proposals. After
a delay of almost a year Jack Straw, the
successor to Lord Falconer, has now had
another look at the proposals and dropped
them in their entirety. It seems that
the LSLA reservations, as expressed in our
response to the consultation paper, captured
the right mood, and that our views won out
in the end! Read
more ...
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Solicitors
Code of Conduct:
Rule 11
The
LSLA's comments were sought in relation
to the obligation in Rule 11.01(2)(b) of
the Code, which has generated much debate
between certain firms and the SRA.
To read the LSLA submission click
here |
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Workshop
for High Court Judges On
21 May 2007 the LSLA held a series of presentations
for High Court Judges. Forty members of
the judiciary attended, including the Master
of the Rolls, The Lord Chief Justice and
the Chancellor. The LSLA gave four presentations
covering Statements of Case; Disclosure;
Witness Statements; Experts' Reports.
Read
more |
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Part
46 of the Civil Procedure Rules - Fast Track
Trial Costs
The
views of those LSLA members consulted were
not entirely in agreement – but there is
a broad acceptance that fixed fees as a
concept should involve review and, where
appropriate, increase.
To
read the full LSLA response
click
here |
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