Kennedys

Civil Justice Group Weekly Update 10

The long awaited response to the "Solving disputes in the county courts" consultation has been published. Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke has promised to make the system "as easy and transparent as possible". The Government appears to be taking a cautious approach. Many of the measures are subject to further evaluation and stakeholder input.

For the first time ever, five of the most significant roles in South Yorkshire are held by women - including Kennedys' Partner Suzanne Liversidge, who is the first female President of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce in its 154 year history and a former Sheffield Businesswoman of the year.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our legal apprenticeship programme, a legal specific apprenticeship designed to act as springboard into a successful career in the legal world.

Civil Justice Group Weekly Update 9

Last week, the Government announced that it will delay the implementation of the Jackson package until April 2013. This will also apply to the proposed ban of referral fees. The Government says the delay will ensure all necessary changes to the Civil Procedure Rules are made correctly and allow timely communication of the effects of the reforms.

The Government has announced that implementation of the Jackson provisions in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill has been put back six months to April 2013.

Civil Justice Group Weekly Update 8

At the end of the fifth sitting of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill Committee in the House of Lords, peers had reached the end of the consideration of amendments relating to Part 1 of the Bill that deals with provisions on legal aid. Throughout the passage of the Bill it is this element that has proved to be the most contentious and the five lengthy sessions were in line with this trend.