header-logo header-logo

And the loser is…

09 May 2014 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7605 / Categories: Features
printer mail-detail
web_regan_2

 Dominic Regan celebrates a list of legal losers

 

News of the 2014 Halsbury Legal Awards got me thinking. For every winner, anywhere, there is always in the shadows a string of losers. We should celebrate them.

This already happens in the film industry where each year the raspberry (or Razzie) awards are handed out. Adam Sandler set a new record for Jack and Jill. He portrayed twins and was simultaneously nominated for both worst male and female leads.

The law reports are full of unfortunate losers. Mr Lilley recently sued for a cool billion pounds damages but did not quite hit his target, being told that quantum was actually £83 (Lilley v DMG Events Ltd [2014] EWHC 610 (IPEC), [2014] All ER (D) 123 (Mar)).

Big names in big trouble

A resilient claimant, Mrs Ferguson, took on the might of British Gas. The company had bombarded her with threatening letters generated by their claims software. The poor woman launched an action for harassment under the 1997 Act. The novel defence advanced

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
Conveyancing lawyers have enjoyed a rapid win after campaigning against UK Finance’s decision to charge for access to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The dangers of uncritical artificial intelligence (AI) use in legal practice are no longer hypothetical. In this week's NLJ, Dr Charanjit Singh of Holborn Chambers examines cases where lawyers relied on ‘hallucinated’ citations — entirely fictitious authorities generated by AI tools
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
back-to-top-scroll