2 NEWS


Justice secretary Chris Grayling’s attempts to limit the ability of human rights groups and others to intervene in judicial reviews are both chilling and counter-productive, shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter told a House of Commons debate on the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill.


The Law Society made a surplus of £7.2m in the 10 months to October 2013, according to its annual review pub- lished last week. This is a turnaround from a deficit of £22.7m in the year ended October 2012.


â tinyurl.com/kl4ssgt


The Law Society is hosting a conference on cloud computing on 3 July. Experts will consider key practical and regulatory issues involved in deciding whether to move to the cloud, and, if you do, how to ensure you are secure and compliant. âtinyurl.com/mo22ksg


www.lawgazette.co.uk


23 June 2014 Registry concessions on charges


By Michael Cross » Land Registry of England and Wales is to press ahead


with controversial plans to take over the running of the local land charges register – despite a public consulta- tion revealing overwhelming opposi- tion by conveyancers, local authorities and other interested parties. Of 620 responses to the consulta-


tion on the agency taking on ‘wider powers’, 95% of those expressing an opinion opposed the proposal for it to become the sole registering authority for local land charges (LLCs). However announcing the plan last


week, Ed Lester, Land Registry chief executive, said he had made ‘a number of changes’ in the teeth of opposition. They are: l To drop a proposal to limit to 15 years the period covered by an LLC official search. This would have left


many critical charges, such as listings, off the new register. l Not to attempt to simplify the defi- nition of an LLC as part of an amend- ment to the Local Land Charges Act 1975. The registry said the change would


make it easier to register a property and create a standardised national fee, ending what it called ‘the existing postcode lottery’. At present, local land charges are maintained by 348 local authorities, with search fees varying between £3 and £96 and turnaround times between one and 42 days. Lester said the new ‘one-stop-


shop’ digital LLC search service ‘will improve and standardise the service through faster turnaround times. This is consistent with government’s digi- tal by default agenda and will ease the process of buying property’.


Among the critics of LLC reform


was the Law Society, which warned that separating the running of LLCs from Con29 searches ‘could create a lesser service’ and ‘create an increased burden on the market in terms of cost and administration’. Preparatory work will begin next


April on a ‘phased migration’ to the new register. The move will require changes to


the Land Registration Act 2002 and Local Land Charges Act 1975, which will be carried out through the Infra- structure Bill introduced in the Lords last week. The registry’s parent body, the


Department for Business, Innova- tion and Skills, is expected to respond shortly to a consultation on convert- ing the bulk of Land Registry into a ‘service delivery company’.


Firms underestimate real risks to business


By Jonathan Rayner » Law firms tend to overestimate the risks that


‘Good news for consumers’ BSB chair Lady Deech QC, on direct access See page 4


‘I have defended many actions brought by Ian Brady since 1990. This includes his challenge to compulsory feeding, leaks to the media of confidential information... and several mental health tribunals’ Ashley Irons, partner, Capsticks See page 25


‘You may well have another one soon’ Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, on grumpy judges See page 36


‘loom largest’ and underestimate those that pose the real threat, a Law Society conference heard last week. Francis Dingwall (pictured), part-


ner at Liverpool firm Legal Risk, told the annual risk and compliance con- ference that just one in eight claims against law firms arises from lack of legal knowledge, whereas one in three is sparked by seemingly small ‘housekeeping’ mistakes. ‘Yet law firms concentrate their resources on developing legal exper- tise rather than improving adminis- trative processes,’ said Dingwall. Best practice, he continued, is to identify all risks, then evaluate and


manage them. He said: ‘Ask yourself how likely the risk is to occur, what will be its impact and what counter- measures you should put in place,’ he urged. ‘And also, is the cost of the countermeasures proportionate to the risk and to the profit that the firm will make by taking that risk?’ He urged solicitors, when starting


a matter, to ask: ‘What will it cost if I get this wrong?’ He suggested: ‘Perhaps even put the


cost, including the claimant and the defence costs, on to the inside front cover of the file. That should concen- trate the mind.’ More than 200 delegates attended


the Law Society conference. A com- prehensive report will appear in the Gazette next week.


PC fee Continued from page 1


based at Chancery Lane is expected to account for 21% (£30.6m), nearly half of which would be generated through commercial income and £11.7m from the PC fee. Group spending is funded from the


PC fee (forecast to bring in £104.9m), plus commercial and regulatory


income, recoveries and a contribution from reserves. The SRA would take £28.9m from the PC fee, about £2m less than in 2013/14. The largest single area of Corporate Solutions spending relates to levies required under the Legal Services Act, which fund part of the cost of: the Legal Services Board; the Legal Ombudsman; and the full cost of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The


remainder of Corporate Solutions’ other costs (£34.6m), plus income and recoveries, are allocated to either the Law Society or the SRA. Council will consider the member consultation ahead of a meeting on 9 July which will consider whether to recommend the budget for approval to the Legal Services Board. The deadline for responses is 4pm


on 7 July.


QUOTES


IN BRIEF


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36