Legal update: News in brief

Published on Sunday 14 November 2010 19:15

BRANDING BURNESS: Burness LLP has unveiled its new branding to reflect its position as a "steely, stylish, smart, successful" firm. Part of the new strategy involves high-quality lateral hires – with the latest move seeing Tony Byrne join the Glasgow corporate finance team from Dickson Minto. Next week, Burness chairman Philip Rodney, in an interview on these pages, discusses the "dynamic diagonal" central to the rebrand.

LAWWORKS LAUNCH: As part of Pro Bono Week 2010, plans to establish LawWorks Scotland were announced. The charity aims to co-ordinate, develop and encourage the provision of pro bono legal services in Scotland – initially advice only, not representation. The official launch will be in the new year. The LWS board is chaired by Ian Moffet, of Anderson Strathern, and includes Hugh Donald, former chairman and chief executive of Shepherd + Wedderburn and Colin Hulme, a partner with Burness LLP.

ACT ACCORDINGLY: A seminar to inform employers about changes to employment law following the introduction of the Equality Act is hosted by Ledingham Chalmers in Aberdeen on Thursday. Topics include management of absence, ill-health dismissals and disability discrimination.

HOUSING COMPLEX? HBJ Gateley Wareing hosts a seminar at its Edinburgh office on Wednesday on how registered social landlords (RSLs) can manage and avoid complex disputes. Figures from the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman highlight the challenges faced by RSLs, with 323 complaints lodged against housing associations in 2009-10.

ALARM BILL: The Legal Services (Scotland) Bill received royal assent last week. The act, which caused a schism in the profession, allows non-solicitors to set up in partnership with solicitors to provide legal services in Scotland. Solicitors or other regulated professionals must have a majority share of at least 51 per cent in any new form of legal business permitted by the act; the remaining 49 per cent is open to external investors.

GOLD STANDARD: Shepherd + Wedderburn has been awarded a gold award in the 2010 Intranet Innovation Awards for the creation of its MyShepwedd site. Launched in January, it is a widget platform which allows users full control of the content they see on their home page. It is one of the first intranets in the legal sector to provide users with significant control over available content and was created in-house.

Also, S&W is sponsoring Cancer Research UK's annual art exhibition – for the sixth year running. The exhibition, at Adams House, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, is from tomorrow to Saturday and boasts more than 1,300 paintings priced from 30-1,000. The exhibition, now in its 43rd year, raised 20,000 in 2009.

EASTERN PROMISE: McGrigors hosts a summit on legal mechanisms for fighting corruption in the Russian Federation tomorrow. The event, in conjunction with the British-Russian Law Association, is aimed at UK and Russian business leaders, lawyers, academics policymakers and government officials. Speakers include Richard Alderman, director of the Serious Fraud Office, and a representative of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation. The event is part of Russian Law Week, organised by the Anglo-Russian Law Association with input from the UK Ministry of Justice, which aims to nurture greater understanding of developments in the Russian legal system, and promote greater trust and cooperation in the fight against corruption.

WHEN IN ROME: Anderson Strathern hosts a free seminar, Scotland & Italy – Problems, Solutions and Opportunities, at its offices at 1 Rutland Court from 10am -2pm tomorrow. This event will offer an opportunity to hear from specialists in the Scottish and Italian marketplace and aims to "benefit individuals and businesses with interests in both countries". The topics will identify potential pitfalls arising from these cross-border interests and offer solutions and opportunities.

UNI UPDATE: The University of Stirling has validated two qualifications for the registered paralegal scheme and entered into partnership with Scotia Law Training Limited, which is providing tuition for the awards. The certificate or diploma in law can be undertaken in civil litigation, criminal litigation, conveyancing, debt recovery, wills and executries, or licensing. The awards are full university certificates and diplomas at degree level nine.

DISTRICT DOUBLE: Stephen McGowan has been appointed district procurator fiscal for Edinburgh and Haddington. He was previously district procurator fiscal in Aberdeen and Stonehaven, where he was succeeded by Andrew Richardson.