News

Graham Walters, Head of the Public, Planning & Regulatory Group, has outlined the latest planning law development for members of the RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) Cymru, as part of the ongoing support from Civitas Law to the organisation.

Acquisition International magazine - an independent magazine for the commercial, legal and financial sectors across the world - has awarded Civitas Law the title 'Welsh Chambers of the Year' in its Legal Awards 2011.

Emma Waddingham, Business Development Manager at Civitas Law, outlines the concerns, opportunities, changing regulations and welfare benefit updates for professional Deputies - responsible for protected parties - in the December 2011 issue of the APIL PI Focus.

The planning system in Wales needs to be simplified and clarified to boost development, according to industry leaders and experts brought together by the Wales Business Insider magazine, including planning specialists from Civitas Law.

One of Britain's most distinguished lawyers Baroness Helena Kennedy QC delivered Cardiff University’s annual Hadyn Ellis Distinguished Lecture, supported by Civitas Law and Thompsons Solicitors.

On 30th November 2011, Civitas Law is hosting a free CPD seminar to unpick the implications of the recent Kernott v Jones judgement by the Supreme Court. Civitas Law's Chancery, Business & Consumer group experts will lead the tea-time event in chambers at Cardiff Bay.

Futureproof your law firm - a free CPD seminar created exclusively for solicitors - is being hosted by Civitas Law and UHY Peacheys on Monday 7th November, St David's Hotel, Cardiff. Book your place now.

Civitas Law is pleased to announce that it has been shortlisted for Barristers’ Chambers of the Year in the Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2011. The specialist national awards aim to ‘highlight and celebrate the excellence of individuals and organisations across the PI claims sector’.

Civitas Law has been heralded as the ‘preeminent civil and public law set and is the only holder of BARMARK in Wales’, in the latest edition of The Legal 500 2011 Guide. Seventeen members of chambers are specifically recognised for their expertise and client care.

Civitas Law barristers’ chambers - the first specialist set for civil & public law in Wales - is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted for the prestigious Regional Set of the Year award, in the Chambers Bar Awards 2011.

Peter Lodder QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, said a recent seminar - which highlighted examples of best practice by chambers that are modernising the Bar - was a 'great success'.

Andrew Arentsen calls for consistency and clarity in the application of Part 36 in the September issue of the New Law Journal.

Civitas Law is proud to support the South Wales Police Awards for the third year running. The awards recognise the hard work of police officers, staff and volunteers who, on a daily basis, go above and beyond the call of duty to help keep the communities of South Wales safe.

Civitas Law is pleased to announce that the full programme for the AvMA Catastrophic Birth & Child Injuries conference on 13th October 2011, has been released.

Nick Thomas-Symonds has been invited as Guest Speaker at the Global Leadership Programme, held at Harris Manchester College, Oxford University.

Civitas Law was among three barristers’ chambers that have been highlighted by the Bar Council as innovators and benchmark models fit for the future.

Robert O'Leary has been appointed to the role of Regional Secretary, Wales, for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

Civitas Law has been asked to speak at the Bar Councils ‘Building For the Future: Insights from Chambers’ seminar to highlight the vision and achievements to date for its progress as a forward-thinking and modernised set for the future.

Robert O'Leary, Barrister and Junior Counsel for the respondent Claimant in Baker v Quantum Clothing Group and Others [2011] UKSC 17, [2011] ALL ER (D) 137 (Apr, outlines the impact of the case and its wider implications in the latest edition of the New Law Journal (24 June 2011).

The competition for Chambers’ 3rd six pupillage is now well underway with the deadline one month away on Friday 8th July. This can be a tough time of year when tenancy decisions are made. Some Chambers are deciding not to keep on pupils and others may simply have missed your outstanding personal qualities. At Civitas Law however, we continue to look for quality applicants with a view ultimately to recruit for tenancy.

Emma Waddingham, Business Development Manager, Civitas Law has posted a blog on the success of the RTPI Wales Planning Conference 2011, Cardiff City Hall, as well as the 4th opening of the Welsh Assembly...

Robert O'Leary, barrister and junior counsel in the Baker v Quantum Clothing Group Ltd deafness litigation appeal at the SC, speaks to the Solicitors Journal about the impact of the case for industrial disease cases.

In a recent decision handed down, the Supreme Court found in favour of the Appellant employers in the Nottingham and Derbyshire Deafness Litigation by a majority of 3:2, Lords Mance, Dyson and Saville in the majority; Lords Kerr and Clarke in the minority. The Court of Appeal decision [2009] EWCA Civ 499 was overturned. The decision of the HJ Inglis in Parkes v Meridian [2007] EWHC B1 (QB) at first instance was restored. Larner v British Steel [1993] CR 551, C.A. was overruled.

Simon Hughes and Richard Cole, led talks and seminar sessions at the Bar Council's recent Sixth Form Conference Day, held at Cardiff University. Over 130 Sixth Formers and their parents from schools across Wales and Western England attended the event.

Civitas Law has launched a new blog to celebrate and share details of its work in the local community, the arts and cultural projects.

Civitas Law now welcomes applications for 12-month pupillage and third six pupillage placements for its chambers in Cardiff Bay.

Civitas Law has been shortlisted for a Claims Innovation Awards 2011, for the depth, focus and success of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.

Anthony Vines, barrister, Civitas Law, has responded to readers of the MJ over the news that local government employers have rubbished trade union claims that councils face a barrage of legal claims over their redundancy programmes.

A successful judgement was received by Theodore Huckle, barrister, on behalf of claimants in Hindmarch v Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd, and Evans v the same.

Two airline lounge masseuses who developed repetitive strain injury after providing back massages to overweight executives are suing Virgin Atlantic for more than £500,000.

Members of Civitas Law are delighted to announce the appointment of Theodore Huckle as Queen's Counsel. Theodore is the first barrister and founder member of Civitas Law chambers (formed 2008) to become a QC and is the only barrister in a Welsh chambers appointed in 2011.

CCR Conferences and Civitas Law present an evening with the experts, to provide an update on Stress and Distress issues for employers and employment lawyers. Leading professionals across the field of stress management, psychiatry and psychotherapy join Civitas Law barristers on Thursday 17th March 2011 to host a CPD accredited programme.

Ramazan Aslan, manager of Llay Fish Bar, Wrexham, has been sentenced to an immediate term of eight months’ imprisonment, arising from the outbreak of E. Coli 0157 in July 2009.

Leading specialist publication Legal & Medical magazine is the confirmed media partner for the Civitas Law / Advance CPD Personal Injury Conference 2011.

Three members of Civitas Law have been approved to sit on the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Panel of Barristers after a successful selection process.

Two barristers from Civitas Law’s PI & Clinical Negligence team have been confirmed as speakers for a personal injury conference held by the Solicitors Group in Birmingham, 15th February 2010. Nicholas David Jones and Theodore Huckle will join a host of leading experts and commentators on PI, costs, Civil Procedure, rehabilitation and professional negligence claims.

Civitas Law is joining forces with Advance CPD to host one of the first major standalone Personal Injury conference in Wales. With a strong line up of lawyers, costs experts and a consultant to the Jackson Report, including barristers from Civitas Law, this PI Conference will provide delegates with essential updates on costs, noise-induced hearing loss and industrial disease litigation, Civil Procedure reform, maximising damages, structuring PI awards, Workplace Regulations and negligence by the sport & leisure sectors.

Emma Waddingham, Business Development Manager at Civitas Law gave some key advice to readers of the Solicitors Journal Practice Management magazine (Dec 2010 issue, pg 7 & 9). The article looked at the identification and creation of create client-led services, as well as internal engagement at board and partner level. In a highly competitive and regenerating legal services market, solicitors and barristers have a raft of strategic development tools to help them stand out from the crowd, and deliver a tailor made service.

Barrister and author Nick Thomas-Symonds has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award for his biography, Attlee: A Life in Politics.

There is now limited availability for the Civitas Law & RTPI / Young PLanners Network Planning seminar on the 17th December 2010. Hosted at Civitas Law chambers, Cardiff Bay from 9am-12pm, the seminar will cover the latest Land Registry Procedure Act and a Planning Law update for England and Wales. Members of Civitas Law Public, Regulatory & Planning Group will be joined by Keynote speaker Roisin Willmott, National Director, RTPI.

Two barristers from Civitas Law are acting for the Respondent is the first deafness litigation case to be heard by the Supreme Court. Stephanie Baker v Quantum Clothing, Meridian Ltd and Pretty Polly Limited (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Deafness Litigation) Group Test Case Litigation [2009] EWCA Civ 499)- heard at the the Court of Appeal from today - has opened the way for what claimant solicitors believe could be thousands of claims following a unanimous ruling on an industrial noise test case.

Civitas Law barristers are now the leading expert legal advisors in Wales for the Treasury Solicitors panel for the Attorney General. An additional three barristers have recently been appointed to the Treasury Solicitors Junior Counsel to the Attorney General panel. This increases the total number of Civitas Law experts on the regional panel to seven out of eight available places.

The Chambers UK 2011 Guide has ranked members of Civitas Law as ‘leaders in their field’ in a spotlight on leading barristers across the UK. The Guide praised Civitas Law for having ‘established a formidable reputation for civil work generally. Sources recommending Civitas Law to the 2011 edition of the Chambers UK Guide said they 'appreciate the "modern approach" of the set and the "comprehensive training programmes" it offers.