Expert Witness Features – page 12

Catching fraudsters at it

FRAUDSTERS ARE becoming cleverer at burying their activities electronically, according to legal and accountancy professionals at financial and professional organisation pro•manchester.

A litigation seminar held by pro•manchester revealed that technology is fundamental to executing search orders and needs careful consideration. Judges are extremely wary of fishing expeditions, which means search orders have to be explicit, targeted and well thought-through to identify the material in question without trawling through irrelevant or privileged information.

How data protection has helped protect those avoiding their responsibilities

RECENT CHANGES in the law have severely restricted tracers’ access to legitimate sources for tracking down debtors.

Tracing agents have been under pressure over the past few years, facing tighter controls over what they are allowed to do to find debtors. One of the biggest blows to the industry was the Data Protection Act 1998 or, as it is known by creditors and tracers alike, ‘the debtor’s charter’.

Knife measures bite

JUSTICE MINISTER David Hanson recently announced tougher, more intensive punishments for people who are convicted of carrying knives.

“This means a significant loss of liberty and free time for all those knife offenders across the whole of England and Wales,” he said.

Show you CARE

OVERSEAS development agency CARE International has laid down the gauntlet for the legal sector in the shape of the CARE 3 Peaks Challenge.

The challenge, taking place on 18-19 July, will see teams from legal firms scaling the highest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon) – all in the target time of 24 hours. The challenge is aimed at raising funds for CARE’s work in helping 55 million people in 70 countries find a route out of poverty.

The event, supported by lawandmore.co.uk, is part of a series aimed at raising over £1m.

Challenge manager Michele Evans said: “The CARE 3 Peaks Challenge will be a fantastic teambuilder for colleagues in the industry, as well as a great networking opportunity across the legal sector. This event will make an enormous contribution to support CARE’s essential work overseas, so we’re urging everyone in the sector to get signed up.”

Visit www.careinternational.org.uk.

Dispute resolution course

ABERDEEN BUSINESS School at Robert Gordon University is launching a short online course entitled Introduction to Commercial Dispute Resolution, in conjunction with the world respected dispute resolution body the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CiArb).

It will be the only purely online course that, on successful completion, will allow eligibility to Associate Membership of the CiArb. It is also the only University course run in direct collaboration with the CiArb.