header-logo header-logo

A baptism of fire

14 May 2009 / John Mcquater
Issue: 7369 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services , Costs , Personal injury
printer mail-detail

Costs & serving the needs of injured people will dominate John McQuater’s term of office

Taking on the role of president of the Association of Personal lnjury Lawyers (APIL) is both an honour and a rather daunting prospect— particularly in the current climate. In fact, what a welcome I had when last week, Lord Justice Jackson published his preliminary report on the review of civil litigation costs. Needless to say, the paper will take some serious time and thought to digest—not least because it is in two volumes which exceed more than 600 pages, not including the appendices.

Something as important as justice, like other vital aspects of our society such as healthcare and education, does come at a cost and, over recent years, much has been said about the funding of personal injury claims, not least the use of conditional fee agreements.

It is worth remembering that until a decade ago many personal injury claims were funded by legal aid. In

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

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
back-to-top-scroll