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Going underground

I had put off typing up this column until I was certain that the world would not come to an apocalyptic end on 21 May. No, not the launch of ABSs, but the day of 'Rapture' predicted by Harold Camping, an American (of course) evangelical broadcaster who, at 89 years old, is perhaps closer to his day of judgment than most of his fanatical followers.

Legal aid protests as government prepares to unveil bill

There were protests across the country today during the 'Justice for All' day of action, as the government prepared to unveil a legal aid bill containing what many expect to be drastic cuts.

Advocacy group asked to rewrite new quality assurance scheme rules

The SRA board has asked the group of experts set up to design a quality advocacy assurance scheme for all criminal advocates to reconsider some of the rules amid concerns that judges carrying out advocate assessment could be biased against solicitors.

Bar attacks LSB for failing to ban referral fees for advocates

The Bar Council has said it is “surprised and disappointed” that the LSB failed to ban referral fees.

Cala Homes loses appeal over regional strategies

Developer Cala Homes has failed in a second attempt to overturn a planning statement from communities secretary Eric Pickles, requiring councils to take into account the government's commitment to abolish the regional planning strategies.

LSB rules out blanket ban on referral fees

Frontline regulators will be allowed to ban referral fees if they can provide evidence of the reasons for doing so, the Legal Services Board has said in a report that has otherwise found there was no “purely regulatory case” for an outright ban.

Claim to share of farm an 'incurable nullity'

A claim by three daughters to a half share of a farm lived in by their father, who died intestate, has been described as an “incurable nullity” by the Court of Appeal.

£6m plastic surgery award 'could not happen after Jackson reforms'

The solicitor acting for Penny Johnson, the woman who won £6m in damages at the High Court in the biggest ever award for plastic surgery injuries, has said that he would not have been able to take on the case if the Jackson reforms had been implemented.