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Regan to the rescue

27 June 2013 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7566 / Categories: Features
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Dominic Regan turns his reforming eye towards the privatisation of the court system

Grayling is a genius. The recent intimation to privatise the courts is a superb idea. The usual whingers have sounded off. How dim they are. We have an opportunity to get lots of much needed loot back into the system. Legal aid practitioners will be able to come off benefits and feed their children more than twice a week.

Subtle sponsorship

It is all about subtle sponsorship and I see myriad opportunities out there. Consider the oath. What is wrong with “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and I cannot believe it’s not butter”?

Unlike New York, our courts are shut in the evenings. Here is an opportunity to use profitable buildings empty at night so as to create a string of pubs and nightclubs. Even better, anyone drunk, disorderly or violent can be dealt with on the spot the next morning. The police, who seem to have a marked reluctance to stand up these days, would

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Slater Heelis—Oliver Banks

Slater Heelis—Oliver Banks

Manchester firm strengthens Court of Protection expertise with partner hire

Talbots Law—Sara Pickerin & Nicholas Playford

Talbots Law—Sara Pickerin & Nicholas Playford

Agricultural law team expands with senior director appointments

Kingsley Napley—Claire Green

Kingsley Napley—Claire Green

Firm announces appointment of chief legal officer

NEWS
In this week's NLJ, Sophie Houghton of LexisPSL distils the key lesson from recent costs cases: if you want to exceed guideline hourly rates (GHR), you must prove why
With chronic underfunding and rising demand leaving thousands without legal help, technology could transform access to justice—if handled wisely, writes Professor Sue Prince of the University of Exeter in this week's NLJ
NLJ columnist Stephen Gold dives into the quirks of civil practice, from the Court of Appeal’s fierce defence of form N510 to fresh reminders about compliance and interest claims, in this week's Civil Way
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB) has restated a fundamental truth, writes John Gould, chair of Russell-Cooke, in this week's NLJ: only authorised persons can conduct litigation. The decision sparked alarm, but Gould stresses it merely confirms the Legal Services Act 2007
The government’s decision to make the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the Single Professional Services Supervisor marks a watershed in the UK’s fight against money laundering, says Rebecca Hughes of Corker Binning in this week's NLJ. The FCA will now oversee 60,000 firms across legal and accountancy sectors—a massive expansion of remit that raises questions over resources and readiness 
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