NEWSLETTER Newsletter Archive: Feb 2009

February 2010

CPD Seminar Programme 2010

The CPD Programme for 2010 has now been published - see Events and Seminars section above for full details.

It is nearly a year since the NCCBA’s CPD Programme was restarted with a talk from Andrew Smith J on the Commercial Bar Outside London. The aim of the Programme this year is to build on the success of last year when we had an average of 40 attending the regular CPD events and an average of 69 attending the New Practitioner’s Programme events. The slight disappointment has been the number of members attending as opposed to solicitors. These events provide a fantastic opportunity not only to listen to some first class talks, but also to “network” and promote the local Commercial Bar to Solicitors, and we hope for a better turn out from members this year.

This year’s regular CPD Programme begins on Tuesday 22 February 2010 with the first of two evenings (the second being on 13 May 2010) with the title “Commercial Fraud – Strategies, Claims and Remedies”. The speakers over the two evenings are David Casement QC, Stephen Connolly and Alex Marsden of BDO. They are intended to provide a practical look at the pursuit of claims involving fraud in a commercial context.

The first of our New Practitioner Events, “An Introduction to Sale and Supply of Goods and Services”, is on 25 March 2010. This is intended to provide a whistle-stop tour through the primary legislation and a guide to the interaction between that and the Unfair Contract Terms Act and Regulations. Whilst primarily intended for practitioners of less than 3 years’ post qualification experience, these events are open to all and provide a useful refresher and update on the topics they cover.

Unless otherwise indicated, all events will be held at BDO, 3 Hardman Street, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3AT at 6.00pm. We are very grateful to BDO for the support given to us by providing us with accommodation for meetings.

Annual Dinner 2010

This is the first annual members’ dinner for some years and will be held at Evuna, 277-279 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EW on Thursday 25 February 2010.

A drinks reception at 6.30pm will be followed by dinner at 7.00pm.

Evuna is a Spanish wine house and restaurant, and they have designed a bespoke menu with each food course being accompanied by a specially selected complementary wine. To add to the occasion, Evuna’s wine specialist will introduce each course, describing the attributes of each wine, and explaining why it has been chosen to complement each particular dish.

The specialist local Judges have been invited.

Please reply by no later than 18 February to admin@nccba.org.uk and forward your payment of £60 to NCCBA, PO Box 569, Bury, BL8 9JF. Places are limited, so please book early.

Subscriptions

Subscription rates for this year are:

£150 - Over 7 Years' Call

£75 - 3 to 7 Years' Call

Free - Up To 3 Years' Call

We are making arrangements for subscriptions to be collected through members’ own Chambers.

Jackson Report – Civil Litigation Costs Review

Jackson LJ produced his Final Report last month. The full report can be read at www.judiciary.gov.uk/about_judiciary/cost-review/reports.htm.

The NCCBA’s own submissions, submitted in response to the interim report, get a number of mentions, and are quoted in a couple of instances commenting on disclosure and as to whether a pre-action Protocol is appropriate for commercial litigation.

The Chancery Bar Association has identified several issues facing the Chancery Bar following on from the Report, these being issues that face Chancery and Commercial practitioners in general (Click Here - Opens in New Window).

Mark Cawson QC