9 ways to choose a lawyer

Posted by Justin on Jan 2, 2011 in Abaddons Musings, accountants, communitarianism, conveyancing, estate agents, lawyers, legal system, local, professionals, service | 0 comments Some thoughts on how to choose who should handle your legal work for you – mainly focused on residential conveyancing, but of  relevance to other fields as well:1. Listen to personal recommendations: If you are moving home, speak to friends and family who have moved home recently. If you have a commercial transaction or need other business-related legal help, speak to your accountant....
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Never sign without reading

Posted by Justin on Jan 1, 2011 in Abaddons Musings, lawyers, professionals, service | 0 comments Everyone knows, I hope, how important it is to read – and understand – documents before signing them: once signed, they are legally binding on you, and consumer protection legislation will only come to the rescue of the foolhardy in very limited situations.This applies to all sorts of documents: contracts, terms of business, even letters and, of course, WillsIt therefore surprises me...
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Who are our competitors – and which worry us?

Posted by Justin on Dec 30, 2010 in Abaddons Musings, communitarianism, conveyancing, lawyers, legal system, local, professionals, risk, small towns, Tenterden, Weald | 0 comments As “High Street” solicitors, who tend to handle local work for local people, it might be thought that our main competitors are other, similar “High Street” solicitors – I think notAlthough there is competition between us and other local firms, we do not see them as an existential threat (oooh! Big words!) On the whole, they tend to have the same philosophy of...
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Free e-books and audio books

Posted by Justin on Dec 29, 2010 in Abaddons Musings, books | 0 comments My sources for free e-books and audiobooks are -Project Gutenberg:Google E-bookstoreInternet ArchiveOpen LibraryMany BooksLibriVox (audiobooks)Can anyone suggest any more?PS: I omitted one of my favourites: Memoware
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New conveyancing protocol

Posted by Justin on Dec 22, 2010 in Abaddons Musings, conveyancing, cynicism, lawyers, legal system, suits | 0 comments According to Clutton Cox, they were one of only 12 firms to respond to the consultation by the Law Society on its new conveyancing protocol: http://goo.gl/uhpYhAs I also responded, that means only 10 others throughout the country did – what a disappointmentWhat is also disappointing is that the Law Society has not included in the scheme a requirement for member firms to (for instance)...
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