International

Survey Says US-Style Litigation Coming to UK

Although class actions have long been unique to America, that is starting to change—and fast, one major U.S. law firm is predicting. It is basing this projection, in part, on what potential corporate defendants themselves expect to see happening in Europe soon. A survey sponsored by St. Louis-based Bryan Cave…

Oct 31, 2007 1:19 AM CDT

Divorce Fair: From DNA to Dating Service

Camera-shy individuals apparently were daunted by a swarm of journalists on day one of what was billed as the world’s first-ever divorce fair on Saturday. But despite a dearth of participants the Vienna, Austria, event was nonetheless an eye-opening example of how vendors, including lawyers, could be brought face-to-face with…

Oct 29, 2007 5:04 PM CDT

Was Hicks’ Gitmo Plea a ‘Political Fix’?

The conviction of Australian David Hicks in a U.S. terrorism case after years of imprisonment at an American military prison at Guantanamo Bay has been a hot political issue in his home country. And the controversy is nowhere near dying down even months after he accepted a plea bargain that…

Oct 26, 2007 9:19 PM CDT

Divorce Fair Offers Legal Services and More

Billed as the world’s first divorce fair, a two-day event in Austria this weekend will offer participants one-stop shopping for a vast array of services targeted to spouses in an unhappy marriage. In addition to retaining a matrimonial lawyer, attendees can hire a private detective to spy on an erring…

Oct 26, 2007 4:50 PM CDT

Some US Law Firms May Have to Disclose Finances Under UK Law

U.S. law firms fear the United Kingdom will interpret one of its laws in a way that requires limited liability partnerships to disclose their finances. Draft regulations will be released next spring. In the coming weeks, the Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform will release a consultation on the…

Oct 26, 2007 11:34 AM CDT

It’s Official: UK Law Firms Soon For Sale

Long-anticipated legislation allowing nonattorneys to own United Kingdom law firms passed its final hurdle in the British Parliament today. The Legal Services Bill will soon be signed by Queen Elizabeth II, in the first step toward a legal market for buying and selling UK law firms that should be operational…

Oct 25, 2007 8:49 PM CDT

Convicted of 48 Murders: ‘I Felt Like God’

Convicted yesterday by a jury of 48 murders and three attempted murders, a Russian serial killer says the crimes made him more powerful than those who found him guilty. “Cops, lawyers, experts, witness. I alone decided the fate of 63 people,” said Alexander Pichushkin, a 33-year-old supermarket worker who claims…

Oct 25, 2007 4:04 PM CDT

Big Biz Scoring System for Law Firm Hires

Two big-name companies based in Switzerland are now using a new scoring system to determine what law firms to hire. Zurich, a well-known insurance carrier, announced this week that it rates law firms on about 10 factors, including cost, responsiveness and “personalities,” reports Legal Week. “The insurer now hopes to…

Oct 25, 2007 3:30 PM CDT

Denmark Office Splits from DLA Piper

CORRECTED: A Denmark law office associated with DLA Piper is breaking away because of concerns about client conflicts. The new independent office will be known as Horten and will be DLA Piper’s preferred referral firm, Legal Week reports. The 73-lawyer office wants to add as many as 150 lawyers and…

Oct 25, 2007 1:21 PM CDT

EU Court Strikes Down German Anti-Takeover Law

The European Court of Justice has struck down a German law shielding Volkswagen from a hostile takeover. The New York Times calls the decision a “stinging setback” for the German government, which fears foreign investment in key industries. It is also like to spur European Union efforts to stop other…

Oct 23, 2007 3:30 PM CDT

Microsoft Bends Knee to EU Regulation

Bowing down to the authority of the European Union to regulate antitrust issues, Microsoft Corp. has agreed to end a nine-year court battle and share some of its intellectual property with competitors. The move may signal a new era of increased EU enforcement of antitrust rules against dominant companies, now…

Oct 22, 2007 8:33 PM CDT

Rules Unclear re Supervising Indian ‘Lawyers’

As outsourcing American legal work to foreign attorneys in India becomes more and more common, U.S. lawyers need to give some thought to potential ethical pitfalls. Because the Indian legal education system is different and the duty of confidentiality to clients is narrower than in the United States, it is…

Oct 19, 2007 11:17 PM CDT

Dealing With a Troubling Underage Sex Trade

It isn’t just Thailand where a troubling trade in underage sex, involving the abuse of victims too young to consent, is widely reputed to exist. Right here in the U.S., apparent prostitutes, some of whom appear to be under 18, advertise on Internet sites, reports a Bloomberg columnist. “Advocates for…

Oct 19, 2007 5:24 PM CDT

Hi-Tech Hunt Nabs Swirled Photos Suspect

Updated: A high-tech hunt featuring an unprecedented online Interpol appeal to the public for help has led to the arrest of a Canadian teacher who is allegedly the subject of photos posted on the Internet that show an adult male sexually abusing boys in Cambodia and Vietnam. Christopher Paul Neil,…

Oct 19, 2007 4:42 PM CDT

Big Brother in Britain: Going Too Far?

Big Brother isn’t just watching these days in much of Britain. He’s telling people what to do. “Pick it up!” an authoritative voice booms, for instance, when pedestrians near a McDonald’s restaurant in the town of Gloucester drop trash, reports the Los Angeles Times. Britain has the most extensive closed-circuit…

Oct 19, 2007 3:31 PM CDT