The End (Point) is Nigh 

Another seemingly positive CC yesterday followed, therefore, by a bad start to today. A few wrongly reported civil SPAN codes, we are advised, have lead to a Contract Rectification Notice. Confusingly (and alarmingly) these do not even result in any prejudice to the fund, in fact quite the opposite. Some are interpretive issues regarding the […]

Just a Crosshair II 

I’m in between Cost Committee hearings with a skeleton staff due to illness so only a short post today. And not a happy one at that (although I suspect a reasonable result from yesterdays hearing). It now seems as though it is not just the top 10% who will be getting PACE audits this Autumn. […]

Back Later 

In the 9 year existence of JRS today is the first time I’ve been subject to “Corporate Hospitality” (rather than the very common everyday generosity of clients). I’m off a few miles up the road to watch the Seve Cup (a golf match for those not in the know). An exciting two days of Cost […]

On you Marks 

The Preferred Supplier Pilot was a success. A consultation on its wider implementation, which they anticipate will happen next year, is due this autumn. Use this extra preparation time wisely.

On the Road Again 

I’m tidying up the slides for the forthcoming training tour with TMT and co-speaker Rodney Warren. It is proving difficult as there is so much going on – getting four topics into 2 hours is proving an exacting task. I’d say it’s a pretty essential course for criminal practitioners, but then I would wouldn’t I. […]

Angry of Teesside 

It probably will not feature in the great journeys of our time. Nonetheless rushing from an enforced overnight stop in Nottingham to Newcastle (with a break in the middle to change into business clothes and pick up the papers which should have been “prepared” yesterday) for a Cost Committee hearing is difficult for an aging […]

Daily Horoscope 

This is very, very spooky indeed. I wrote the “Jackanory” piece below due to a strong sense of deja vu and now look what?s happened. We have often commented on our predictive skills but this is just a bit too scary. Cross my palm with silver and I will read you Tarot cards!!

Cake and eat it 

We have been grappling with the issue of post CCA general findings and financial extrapolation for a long time now. We suspected a breakthrough when a Cost Committee (CC) finally got interested and insisted on skeleton arguments from both parties. A decision in that case and a Contract Review Body hearing in another should follow […]

Jackanory 

Once upon a time in a far away place happy family lawyers angered their overlords in the LSC. “Your average costs are too high”, they said, so we must punish you and reduce your matter starts accordingly. They called this retribution AMC-SMC. But over time this did not work and the overlords remained dissatisfied with […]

Your Advert Here 

Today just a quick reminder that you can link to you firm?s website in the side bar simply by sending its details to us. In time we hope this may become a useful way of finding, and attracting, agents in far-flung places. Send a short pen portrait too and we will put that up here. […]