The Legal, Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act will come into force in April 2013, making this a momentous year for civil litigation. Our March webinar will update you on the progress of its implementation and examine the practical implications of the new Act. Our annual costs review webinar will offer you an update on other significant costs issues. Our expert speakers will give you top tips on how to make Part 36 offers and examine the latest developments in mediation, helping you to avoid cost and time-consuming litigation.
What’s more, our webinars can be viewed at a time and place convenient for you, maximising your fee earning hours without jeopardising your learning.
Forthcoming Webinars
Here is the schedule of forthcoming webinars for this practice area.
On Demand Webinars
Here is a list of previously broadcast webinars that are now available on demand.
24th May 2012 12:30
Getting injunctions - practical tips
The recent case of JSC BTA Bank, where the bank obtained a freezing injunction against its former chairman, Mr Ablyazov, accused of defrauding the bank of more than US$4.5 billion, reaffirmed the importance of freezing injunctions.
Our eminent speakers will discuss the implications of this high profile case and offer top tips and practical guidance on how to obtain injunctions.
This webinar will cover:
• Types of injunctive relief, including super-injunctions
• Freezing order – recent developments
o Asset tracing
o Cross-border freezing orders
o European Account Preservation Orders
o Case law update, including BTA Bank case
• Search and seizure orders and hybrids, including imaging orders
• Obtaining orders against third parties, including Norwich Pharmacal orders
• Service of injunctions over the internet
29th Jun 2012 12:30
Jackson and the future of litigation
LASPO – are you prepared for the changes ahead?
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act received Royal Assent on 1st May 2012 and is expected to come into force in April 2013. It implements most of the Jackson review and will have dramatic consequences for civil litigation funding. The Act abolishes the recoverability of conditional fee agreements success fees and after the event insurance premiums and removes restrictions on contingency fees.
Our eminent speakers, both of who sit on the Civil Justice Council’s Working Group on Technical Aspects of Jackson Implementation, will share their insight into how the reforms will be implemented, ensuring that you are prepared for the momentous changes ahead.
This webinar will cover:
• Overview of the proposals and the timetable for implementation – where are we now?
• Implications for defendants and claimants
• The future of CFAs and contingency fees
• ATE and BTE insurance
• Third party funding code of conduct
• Costs management
19th Sep 2012 12:30
Limitation and liability - the update
The recent case of Ministry of Defence v AB and others has clarified what knowledge means in relation to a cause of action in negligence. It has implications for limitation periods as the Limitation Act 1980 states that an action should not be brought after three years from the date on which the cause of action is accrued or the date of knowledge of the personal injury. In this case the claimants brought action for damages allegedly suffered as a result of radioactive fallout during British nuclear tests during 1950s. The Court decided that their claim was time-barred and the appeal was dismissed.
Our speakers will discuss the implications of this case on limitation periods and other recent significant decisions.
This webinar will cover:
•General principles relating to the law of limitation of actions and the issue of proceedings
•Use of statutory provisions to extend time limits for claims in contract
•Using continuing duties to postpone the start of limitation periods
•The date when economic loss is suffered
•Extending the limitation period in tort
- Ministry of Defence v AB and others [2012] UKSC 9
- Central Bank of Nigeria v Williams
- Legal Services v Henthorn
- Bethal Construction v Deloitte
- Miners Knee group litigation judgment
16th Oct 2012 12:30
Bribery, corruption and fraud
Please note that the title for this webinar has been changed from ‘Bribery and dishonesty’ to ‘Bribery, corruption and fraud’.
Following the implementation of the Bribery Act and a plethora of high profile cases, bribery, corruption and fraud are under the spotlight.
To tackle economic crime, the Government has recently proposed the introduction of Deferred Prosecution Agreements. If introduced, they will allow the company suspected of engaging in illegal activity to negotiate an agreement with the prosecutor where it agrees to certain conditions, such as payment of a fine, in return for the prosecutor agreeing not to prosecute.
Our eminent speakers will examine how companies should be reacting to these proposals in light of the use of DPAs in the US.
This webinar will cover:
o Update on fraud:
- Mortgage fraud
- Impact of fraud on limitation periods
o Impact of the Bribery Act – one year on
o Consultation on deferred prosecution agreements
o Bribes and secret profits – remedies after Sinclair v Versailles and Cadogan Petroleum v Tolly
o Enforcing freezing orders after BTA Bank case
o Sanctions
29th Nov 2012 12:30
Annual costs review 2012
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act which comes into force in April 1213 will introduce seismic changes to litigation funding.
Whilst LASPO abolishes recoverability of success fees in conditional fee agreements, damages-based agreements (DBAs) are being rolled out as an alternative. DBAs will allow clients to pay their lawyers a percentage of the damages awarded in case of success. It is hoped that this form of contingency fee agreements will re-introduce the important principle of proportionality into the system.
This webinar will cover:
• The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act
• Contingency fees, CFAs and damages-based agreements – what does the future hold?
• Costs management and costs budgeting
• Third party funding
• Progress on the new billing format
13th Feb 2013 12:30
Latest developments in mediation
The Civil Procedure Rules, which provide the framework for litigation, oblige the courts to promote the appropriate use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Parties are actively encouraged to do so, with cost sanctions for those who do not or withdraw from the process without good reason. Mediation is one of the most commonly used forms of ADR due to its cost effective and flexible nature.
Our eminent speakers will offer you best guidance on the best ways to set up a mediation and practical tips for dealing with difficult cases.
This webinar will cover:
• The court’s attitude towards the use and non-use of mediation in disputes
• How a mediation should be set up
• How to persuade the other side to agree to mediation
• How to deal with difficult cases
• The role of the lawyer as a mediator
• Negotiation tactics
• Case law update
20th Mar 2013 12:30
Implementing the Jackson Review – an update on progress
Momentous changes to civil litigation funding are due to come into force on 1st April 2013 with the implementation of Lord Justice Jackson’s proposals.
The Conditional Fee Agreements model will be dismantled as success fees will no longer be recoverable. It will be replaced with Damages-Based Agreements where a client will pay solicitors’ costs calculated with reference to the amount recovered. It is hoped that this will guarantee greater proportionality in costs and will be supplemented by an increased emphasis on the importance of costs management. Each party will now be required to submit a costs budget to the courts.
Our eminent speakers will discuss the latest proposals, ensuring that you are fully prepared for the radical changes ahead.
This webinar will cover:
• Update on implementation
• ATE and BTE insurance
• Damages-based agreements and third party funding
• Costs budgets and proportionality
• Effect on civil litigation
• Update on CPR including pre-action protocol
• Impact of Henry v News Group Newspapers
23rd Apr 2013 12:30
How to make successful Part 36 offers
Part 36, like many other aspects of the Civil Procedure Rules, will be updated to reflect the momentous changes introduced by the Jackson reform. The new rules, which come into force on 1st April, will include additional penalties for a defendant who does not accept a claimant’s Part 36 offer and fails to beat it at trial. It will also provide a claimant who obtains a judgment at least as advantageous as its Part 36 offer with an additional amount, unless the court considers it unjust.
Our eminent speakers will discuss the practical impact of these changes and offer you top tips on how to make successful Part 36 offers.
This webinar will cover:
• The new Part 36 post-Jackson
• Part 36 and QOCS
• Further proposals for reform
• What is a valid Part 36 offer?
• Pitfalls for the unwary
• Other types of settlement offers
• Case law update
3rd May 2013 12:30
Key cases in contract and tort
The EU has issued proposals for a ‘Common European Sales Law’ which will harmonise European contract law. It will apply to small businesses' and consumers' contracts for the sale of goods. It will be an optional law which will sit alongside pre-existing domestic contract law and will apply to cross border transactions where at least one of the parties is based in the EU and where both parties have agreed to its application. However many UK organisations have raised concerns that the new law will increase confusion and add further legal complexity.
Our interactive webinar will discuss the latest on these proposals and analyse its practical implications.
This webinar will cover:
• An update on European Contract Law
• Case law update
