Bolt started the fracas in a March edition of the Melbourne paper with an opinion piece in which he argued that law firms using no-win, no-fee arrangements should agree to indemnify the opposing party if it won, on the basis that the opposing party had little or no chance of recovering legal costs.

In his article, Bolt cited the $700,000 settlement paid by the Victorian government to S11 protestors who claimed they were bashed by police at a violent blockade in 2000 as evidence that there was something wrong with the system. He said if the court case had proceeded and the protestors represented by Slater & Gordon had lost, the police would have had no chance of recovering their legal costs “from people whose worldly assets didn’t go much beyond two placards, a beanie and a government handout”.

Read the entire article here: http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/articles/Slanging-match-over-no-win-no-fee_z69442.htm

Italian-born Tavernese won the court battle this week when his neighbours, tenants of the Department of Housing high-rise units over his back fence, withdrew their case. But after a four-week trial in the District Court, he now has to pay legal fees of more than $200,000, which he says will wipe out his life savings.

The 12 litigious neighbours, on the other hand, engaged their lawyers on a “no-win, no-fee” basis.

Lawyers who “buy” these files can then pass on the spruiker’s fees to clients by way of “administrative charges”. In some cases hidden fees of up to $8,000 are charged. It’s deceitful and it undermines the “no win, no fee” service traditionally offered by many law firms.

“Claims harvesters” are a contentious issue within the legal profession and despite public stereotypes, few law firms use them. The spruikers work outside legal restrictions on lawyer advertising and their methods only add to the unfortunate stereotype of “ambulance-chasing lawyers”.

Read the entire article here: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3987

Excerpt from the Maurice Blackburn website:

At the heart of Maurice Blackburn are our values and our history.

We have expertise in cases involving workplace injury, medical negligence, road accidents injuries and asbestos. Our experience includes acting for injured people in many high profile and significant matters. For example, one of our predecessor firms was actively involved in internationally significant actions over the Dow breast implants and the Copper 7 intrauterine device.

Maurice Blackburn acts for people who have been injured or badly treated through the actions or inactions of others.

http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au

Maurice Blackburn’s No Win No Fee details are listed here: http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/fees.asp

Slater & Gordon is an Australian law firm specialising in personal injury, commercial, family and asbestos-related law.

Courage and commitment to justice has made Slater & Gordon one of Australia’s most successful and well known plaintiff law firms and the name Slater & Gordon has come to mean fair access to justice for thousands of Australians.

Since 1935, Australians have placed their confidence in the skills and experience of Slater & Gordon’s lawyers to advise them on a wide range of legal services.  Today, these include asbestos-related diseases, workers compensation, transport accident injuries, public liability, medical negligence, family law, wills & probate, commercial disputes and litigation, and business advisory services.

http://www.slatergordon.com.au

Slater & Gordon’s No Win No Fee details are listed here:  http://www.slatergordon.com.au/pages/no_win_no_fee.aspx

We aim to list the contact details of solicitors and lawyers in Australia on a state and territory breakdown that offer a no win no fee service.

Here you will also find background information about how this type of payment contract works.