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October 09

North West Law In association with

Desperate times –

Desperate measures

Oliver Gardner of Howards Solicitors and CLSA Committee Member September 2015
reports on the latest developments in criminal legal aid...

News
For those of you who saw was of course about the Many people saw this as a
my piece last month: most recently announced climb down on the part of
http://www.howardssolici- cut but once we had the profession. Further, as it
tors.co.uk/oliver-gardner- brought Gove to the negoti- happened in the hours be-
howards-solicitors-in-manc ating table the general issue fore the meeting with Gove, Mills & Reeve boosts Manchester
hester-law-society-messen- of the rates, the issue of it was considered likely to commercial team page 6
ger/ Dual Contracts and other have a detrimental effect on
matters could be properly the negotiations. Some
You will know that on the addressed. were critical of the PGs for
1st July 2015 the majority of allowing those said firms, Slater Heelis boosts Family Team with
solicitors undertaking pub- On the 23.7.15, after 3 (suspected of being “Big new appointment page 7
licly funded criminal de- weeks of what can only be Firm Group” (BFG) mem-
fence work decided to stop described as a “hunger bers) to dictate policy and
accepting new instructions strike” by solicitors, the Lord some even asserted a BFG Weightmans advises Lucideon Group in
(Protocol 1) in protest at the Chancellor finally agreed to agenda which the PG’s were
Government’s decision to meet with Practitioner either inadvertently or in- ership at The Bar had ar- acquisition deal page 8
again reduce the rates groups. However, a couple tentionally advancing. gued strongly against ac-
payable. I could not then of days ahead of this meet- tion this time on the basis
predict what would happen ing, the fact that a small More importantly, it was that the Solicitors would not Features
but what I can do is try to number of significant firms seen as adding insult to in- hold out thus leaving the
analyse where we are now were preparing to withdraw jury to the Criminal Bar who Bar to starve for what is ef-
and how we have arrived support for the hunger had days earlier voted in fectively our battle. There
here. strike was leaked. Subse- favour of adopting a “no re- are of course many reasons Interview: Jonathan Smithers
quently, and before the turns” policy in support of why the rate cuts and what
I think it important to stress meeting with Gove, the the Solicitors’ action. It was will follow will be equally President of the Law Society page 10
also that the purpose be- Practitioner groups an- a widely held view that the damaging for the criminal
hind the action was to nounced a new protocol Criminal Bar, in joining the bar but those points are be-
demonstrate to the MOJ (P2), they claimed was action had brought Gove to yond the scope of this piece. Lawyer of the Month:
that a degree of unity per- aimed at keeping those wa- the negotiating table. Over Hence, the unity, support Richard Scorer of Slater & Gordon
vaded the profession and vering firms on board and the years the Criminal bar and strength built up and all
that accordingly they could designed to bring even have been critical of solici- the behind the scenes hard page 12
not ignore our collective po- more firms into the action. tors’ failure to take robust
sition any longer. The fight action and in fact the lead- continued on page 14 Talking Heads
Does closing courts in the interests of costs-
Legal Social Mobility Partnership saving and efficiency make good business sense?”
page 14
quadruples in size for scond year Regulars

Number of students increases to 106, across 33 leading law firms and commercial Regulatory Affairs Update page 5
organisations, and the programme extends to Manchester for the first time.
Members Reward Card
A number of leading com- The organisations are work-
mercial brands and their ing closely together to pro- See your latest offers page 21
legal advisers today an- vide motivated students
nounce the launch of a aged between 15 and 18
second year of an exten- from over 30 schools across Monthly Competition
sive programme which en- London and Manchester
ables students from less the opportunity to immerse Win a £100 voucher for Frankie and Benny’s
privileged backgrounds themselves in the world of
to spend two weeks at city law firms and their high page 36
some of the UK’s top law profile clients.
firms and in-house legal
departments with the aim Led by ITV, the Legal Social
of tackling the all too Mobility Partnership (LSMP)
common problem of is backed by the following
young people from disad- 32 organisations:
vantaged backgrounds
feeling that a career in the Microsoft, Olswang, Slaugh-
law is simply beyond ter and May, adidas, Coop A selection of the students on their tour of the
reach. Coronation Street set during the commercial week
continued on page 18
The Monthly Publication of the Manchester Law Society