The UK’s three biggest legal regulators have launched a review of legal education and training because of ‘lawyer oversuppy’.   The Lawyer reports that the review by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Bar Standards Board and the Institute of Legal Executives Professional Standards  will examine routes to qualification and the requirements placed on law schools in light of the likely future shape of the legal market. According to the Law Society, 7,000 people completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) in 2008, but there are only 6,000 training contracts available this year.

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In the final version of Crude — the 2009 documentary on the epic environmental suit brought by Amazon tribespeople against Chevron Corporation in Ecuador — lead U.S. plaintiffs’ attorney Steven Donziger remarks: “This is something you would never do in the United States, but Ecuador, you know, this is how the game is played, it’s dirty.”  So check out the tapes on this at Law.com – it’s all fascinating, weird, and . . well, dirty.

For lawyers, the quake and its after shocks caused obvious problems with accommodation, but didn’t slow things up unduly for the larger firms, although some were clearly better prepared for disaster than others.  Chapman Tripp quickly holed up in the All Seasons Hotel to continue business, while others worked from home. Those with an office network, like Duncan Cotterill, were able to direct phone and other traffic through their Nelson office.  Buddle Findlay of course have Wellington and Auckland.

One of the better prepared local firms was Cavell Leitch, which has suburban offices in New Brighton and Riccarton.  The firm swiftly moved operations there, using offsite IT backup to maintain access to computers, faxes and payment facilities.  As with other firms, the major hassle in the city was getting through the police cordon to check the office.  The Law Society moved quickly, appointing spokesmen to direct concerned clients to the appropriate people for advice.  Despite the moves, many clients have remained anxious about the state of their files and records which so far as can be determined remain safe and secure.