News in brief: week beginning 4 August 2014

TRAINING

Social mobility: Media and technology companies such as Yahoo and ITV have partnered with City law firms to create work placements for students from underprivileged backgrounds. The programme will allow 20 sixth form students from four London schools to spend time in the firms as well as media and tech legal departments.

REGULATION

Rules-based approach:
Small UK law firms have experienced far greater difficulties than those in the City in complying with outcomes-focused regulation (OFR), says Andrew Caplen. The new Law Society president reportedly said that smaller firms find it more difficult as they're used to a rules-based approach, "whereby they [know] exactly where they [are] and what exactly they should and shouldn't do…OFR has been a little bit unfair on the smaller firms," he said.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Data protection: An Oxfordshire County Council solicitor has been disciplined after losing documents relating to three child protection cases. The documents, including a doctor's report and mental health reports, were found and handed in to police. The Government's Information Commissioner has now ordered the council to enforce data protection training and ensure it is completed.

CRIME

Product safety: Those that sell products mimicking the effects of banned substances, such as cocaine and heroin, could face the same punishments given to drug dealers after ministers considered an expert review. Harry Shapiro, the director of Drugscope, is reported to have said that changes could be made to trading standard laws, and raised the question of whether consumer legislation and product safety rules can be used as a way of "bolstering" the Misuse of Drugs Act.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Firm mergers: The number of mergers between law firms has increased by 65 per cent in the past year, according to accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy. The calendar year 2013 saw 385 mergers take place, up from 234 on the previous year. Five years ago there were just 146 mergers in the same 12-month period.

SOLICITORS

Excellence awards: The Law Society has unveiled the shortlist for its 2014 Excellence Awards. Local practices, in-house teams and City firms have all been recognised. There are ten team or firm and six individual categories in total up for grabs. Categories include Junior Lawyer for the Year, Legal Business Woman of the Year and Excellence in pro bono.

MEDIATION

NHS trial: The NHS Litigation Authority has developed a partnership scheme with the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) to provide mediation as a means of resolving patient family disputes, solely for claims involving the fatality of an infant or elderly person, or the care of elderly patients.

REGULATORS

PII debate: The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced that further research needs to be carried out on professional indemnity insurance (PII) and the Compensation Fund. The regulator's Board has launched a 'call for evidence' to help inform its approach to this part of the industry.

ABS
Joint venture: Irwin Mitchell has announced a joint venture with the stock exchange-listed motor insurer esure under a new alternative business structure. The new venture, IMe Law Limited, which will be based in Sheffield, has been licensed as an alternative business structure by the SRA.

LITIGATION

Court race: Ruth Harvey, an employment law specialist, who paid £40,000 to take part in a round-the-world yacht race, is suing organiser Sir Robin Knox-Johnston for alleged victimisation and harassment. Harvey is seeking a ruling that will delineate between paid participants and employees.

SOLICITORS
Partnership dodge: The High Court has ruled that Clive Prior, formerly head of the property department at London practice Needleman Treon, should not be included in a claim against the firm for short-term bridging loans that had not been repaid. Prior proved he was an employee and not a partner at the firm subject to legal action.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Missed opportunity: Uganda's Constitutional Court has annulled the country's anti-gay legislation, approved by MPs in December, as the law was passed without the requisite parliamentary quorum and was therefore held to be illegal. However, the court did not rule on the merits of a discrimination claim brought by ten petitioners.

TRAINING

Student funding: Fraudulent emails are being sent to law students who have finished their law degree offering partial funding for the Legal Practice Course (LPC). The emails are being sent by a company calling themselves True Personal Injury Solicitors, who claim to be a government body.

CRIME

Antenatal damage: Children born with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) could claim compensation because their mothers drank excessively while pregnant. A case due to be heard in November will go to the Court of Appeal in November which could set precedent. A first-tier tribunal ruled that the act was tantamount to poisoning and a criminal act, a decision subsequently overturned by Judge Leveson.

PERSONAL INJURY

Scotland calling: UK claims company, National Accident Helpline, has announced the creation of a new consolidated solicitor panel to enhance the support available to accident victims in Scotland.