LSLA | October 2010

London Solicitors Litigation Association

Welcome to the LSLA newsletter. You will find below details of some of our most recent activities and those we have planned for the future. We also refer to some legal issues which might affect you.

LSLA News

Annual Dinner - 23 November 2010

This year’s annual dinner with take place at the Law Society on 23 November 2010. Theguest speakers will be His Honour Michael Cook and Edwin Glasgow QC. To quote Lexis Nexis: “His Honour Michael Cook is a former circuit judge and is now a consultant with Horsey Lightly & Fynn solicitors. He was a member of the Civil Justice Council's working party on costs and attends its Costs Forums. He is the author of Cook on Costs, general editor of Butterworths Costs Service and The Litigation Letter and a contributor to Cordery on Solicitors and Butterworths Personal Injury Litigation Service. He is a past Honorary President of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen. He speaks and writes frequently on costs including articles for the Times, the Civil Justice Quarterly and Law Society publications.”

Described by Chambers & Partners 2009 as "Something of a legend in his own lifetime", Edwin Glasgow QC is a leading silk renowned for his representation of clients in commercial disputes and at public inquiries. He represented the majority of the individual soldiers at Lord Saville’s Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

We hope this evening shall be as entertaining as the previous dinners we have held. Click here to view a copy of the invitation and booking form.

Autumn Lecture Series

We have recently finalized our forthcoming Autumn lecture series. Those planned are as set out below.

Monday 8 November 2010 Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC “The Defamation Bill”

Thursday 25 November 2010 Ali Malek “Recent Developments in the doctrine of forum non conveniens”

Monday 29 November 2010 Charles Hollander QC “Recent Developments in Disclosure and Privilege”

Tuesday 7 December 2010 Richard Lissack QC “A New Approach to Financial Regulation: Judgment, Focus and Stability”

All our lectures are CPD accredited. Click here to view the flyer and booking form. Attendance is not limited to LSLA members. The cost is £20 per event or £70 for all four (non-members £25 or £90).

In a change from previous years the lectures shall take place at the offices of Carter Lemon Camerons LLP at 10 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4HJ .

Second Visit to the Supreme Court – 6 October 2010

Last year members of the LSLA visited the Supreme Court for an informative talk by Louise Di Mambro (Registrar of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and Acting Registrar of the Privy Council) about the role of The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. This was followed by a short tour of the Court.

The event was so well received that we decided to repeat it and again was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

Legal News

Consultation Papers

Proposed Court Closures

The Ministry of Justice recently announced its proposals to modernise and improve the use of Courts. It launched a consultation seeking views on its proposals to close 103 magistrates’ and 54 County Court, which it says are “underused and inadequate”. Included within the list of proposed Court closures are Mayor’s and City of London Court and Ilford County Court, which many of you might use. The consultation period closed on 15 September 2010.

A copy of the consultation paper can be found at http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/docs/proposal-on-the-provision-of-magistrates-and-county-court-services-london-fiinal.pdf.

The LSLA submitted a response in support of keeping open the Mayor’s and City of London Court. A copy of the submission can be seen by clicking here.

Recent Press

Committee members of the LSLA have had several press articles published over the past month including:

New Law Journal, 3 September 2010 “What’s the Alternative” Gavin Foggo and Molly Ahmed examine potential future trends in Dispute Resolution (view pdf)
Solicitors Journal, 7 September 2010, “Against the Clock” by Seamus Smyth (view pdf)
Solicitors Journal, 20 September 2010, “Pulling Together” by David Greene (view pdf)

Seamus Smyth was also quoted in the Law Society Gazette on 30 September 2010 in an article entitled “Supreme Court “under review” (see http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/supreme-court-under-review-legal-quangos-face-axe ).

Current Issues

SJ -Gaining Control by James Maton

February 2012 - MOJ Consultation Paper CP19/2011 - Appointments and Diversity 'A Judiciary for the 21st Century' A Public Consultation

Joint Response Of The LSLA, Commercial Bar Association, Chancery Bar Association, London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association, and City Of London Law Society