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Home DLA Piper posts 15% global revenue hike to reach new $2bn-plus high by Chris Johnson 9 Feb 2012 at 12:00am DLA Piper saw global revenues soar past the $2bn mark in 2011 to set a new firm record, reports The Am Law Daily. The firm's total revenue jumped 14.6% to an all-time high of roughly $2.25bn (�1.42bn) during the year, while average profits per partner rose almost 8% to $1.225m (�775,000) - just $70,000 (�44,000) below the peak profit figure the firm achieved in 2008. A&O and Freshfields called up for ?1.3bn Orange Austria buyout by Ben Lewis 9 Feb 2012 at 12:00am Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy (A&O) are advising on the ?1.3bn (�1.1bn) acquisition of the Orange mobile phone network in Austria by Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa, reports The Asian Lawyer. Freshfields Vienna partners Bertram Burtscher and Konrad Groeller are advising Hutchison, with antitrust counsel from Axel Reidlinger in Vienna and Thomas Wessely in Brussels. The 'Twitter joke trial' appeal: a review of the High Court hearing by Carl Gardner 8 Feb 2012 at 7:21pm I was live-tweeting today from the High Court hearing of Paul Chambers?s appeal in the 'Twitter joke' case ? an important case not just because of the way it represents the law?s arguably problematic collision with social media but because of the freedom of expression issues is raises. The hearing was interesting from a purely legal point of view, too. Chambers was convicted by a District Judge at Doncaster Magistrates? Court on the basis of this tweet: Mayer Brown City real estate chief joins US rival as London office head by Sofia Lind 8 Feb 2012 at 5:53pm US firm Katten Muchin Rosenman has hired Mayer Brown City real estate head Peter Sugden as its new London managing partner. The firm said the appointment had come as part of its expansion plans in its core areas of real estate and financial services. Sugden is taking on the role one year after Katten saw its former London head, funds partner Martin Cornish, depart for K&L Gates in early 2011. Finance partner Edward Black has headed up the office in the interim period. Misys GC takes acting CEO role amid �2bn merger; A&O and Herbert Smith advising by Suzi Ring 8 Feb 2012 at 4:59pm FTSE 250 technology company Misys has handed general counsel Tom Kilroy a role on the company's board as acting CEO amid �2bn merger negotiations with Swiss rival Temenos. Misys announced the appointment today (8 February) after former chief executive Mike Lawrie's resignation from the company. Ashurst LLPs: staff costs rise �5m as top earner takes home �1.05m by Suzi Ring 8 Feb 2012 at 2:53pm Ashurst saw a �5m increase in staff costs during 2010-11 against a 2% drop in staff count, according to the firm's limited liability partnership (LLP) accounts. The accounts, recently filed on Companies House, show staff costs rose to �127.8m last year, up from �122.3m in 2009-10. Over the same period, total legal and support staff headcount fell from 1,634 to 1,602. The firm attributed the increase in staff costs to a rise in the number of partners outside the UK treated as salaried partners under the LLP for accountancy reasons. Wragges and Travers take on 100% as raft of firms confirm NQ retention by Rose Orlik 8 Feb 2012 at 2:19pm Linklaters, Wragge & Co and Travers Smith are among a cluster of firms to have released their March retention rates, with Wragges and Travers both taking on 100% of their newly qualified (NQ) lawyers. Hogan Lovells confirms real estate litigator Cheffings as sole chairman by Sofia Lind 8 Feb 2012 at 10:26am Hogan Lovells has confirmed the appointment of London real estate litigator Nicholas Cheffings as the first sole chairman of the transatlantic law firm. Cheffings will take up the post on 1 May for a three-year term, replacing current co-chairs Claudette Christian and John Young. Young is set to retire when his term ends on 30 April, while Christian will continue to practice at the firm. How the UK Supreme Court is setting the international standard for open justice by Adam Wagner 8 Feb 2012 at 10:14am The UK Supreme Court began tweeting this week as @UKSupremeCourt to deserved international fanfare. Some even speculated that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange?s extradition fate could now be revealed on Twitter. The court is already being followed by almost 5,000 Twitter users (for the uninitiated, that is a lot) and has already beaten its own Twitter policy?s prediction of "2-3 tweets a week" with eight on its first day. The eventful debut tweets included seven live updates on the swearing-in ceremony of the court?s newest Justice, Lord Reed, and one relenting to Twitter user @FOImanUK?s valid point that contrary to the court?s stated policy, it should be possible to put freedom of information requests to the court via Twitter. Sidley and Paul Weiss join ranks of US firms posting rising revenues by Michael Goldhaber and David Bario 8 Feb 2012 at 12:02am Sidley Austin and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison have become the latest US law firms to post rising revenues for 2011, reports the Am Law Daily. After enduring a flat year in 2010, Sidley Austin saw revenues rise 5.6% to $1.41bn (�887m) in 2011, while partner profits increased 9.6% to $1.6m (�1m). Executive committee chairman Thomas Cole credited the firm's performance to balanced growth across offices and practice groups, although he singled out Sidley's 21-lawyer Palo Alto office, which opened in 2009, for posting an almost 50% increase in revenue. Bakers secures Spanish coup with hire of former Garrigues managing partner by Chris Johnson 8 Feb 2012 at 12:00am Baker & McKenzie has bolstered its Spanish practice with the hire of former Garrigues managing partner Jose Maria Alonso Puig, reports The Am Law Daily. Senior arbitrator Alonso, who spent nine years as managing partner of the 2,000-lawyer Spanish giant before standing down in 2009 to head the firm's arbitration practice, will join Bakers' Madrid office on 1 March. SNR Denton UK LLPs highlight falling profits and Turkey restructuring by Sofia Lind 7 Feb 2012 at 3:30pm SNR Denton saw profit before tax shrink by around 40% last year across its operations outside the US, with the firm's latest limited liability partnership (LLP) accounts showing a fall in profit from �37.9m to �22.5m. The transatlantic firm's UK LLP accounts, which cover operations across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, show profit available for discretionary division fell from �6.2m to �615,000, against a slump in audited turnover from �166m to �152.5m. A&O grows Washington IP team with Orrick partner hire by Sofia Lind 7 Feb 2012 at 3:08pm Allen & Overy (A&O) has strengthened its US intellectual property (IP) litigation practice with the hire of Steven Adkins from Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. Adkins has joined the firm?s Washington DC office as a partner in the US litigation and global IP practice. He specialises in Section 337 investigations and trials before the International Trade Commission (ITC) involving patent infringement and other unfair trade issues. Kennedys launches legal apprenticeship scheme for non-uni students by Suzi Ring 7 Feb 2012 at 2:57pm Kennedys is launching an apprenticeship scheme for school leavers in a bid to provide legal career opportunities for students without a degree. The scheme, which will go live in September, will offer students the chance to join the firm as a legal administrator on a starting salary of between �14,000 and �18,000 depending on location. Clients vs law firms ? the war that dare not speak its name by Alex Novarese 7 Feb 2012 at 1:35pm Why don't law firms communicate better with clients? Why do advisers persist in business practices that encourage inefficiency? Why are law firm charge-out rates so high? Why can't we all buy the world a Coke and live in perfect harmony? It's funny that when comments are made about the legal industry there is often a strange, persistent notion that if only clients and advisers could get together, have a good chat and show a bit of consideration, then everything that ails the profession would be OK.	Law News from Times Online Law News from Times Online SocGen writes off Kerviel as a footnote in history 15 Jun 2010 at 3:08pm The rogue trader who cost Soci�t� G�n�rale almost ?5 billion was dismissed as an historical footnote today by executives seeking to draw a line under France?s biggest financial scandal. Witnesses ?lied to hide Prince?s involvement,? court told 15 Jun 2010 at 1:00am Witnesses in the Chelsea Barracks case ?concocted an untrue story? to cover up the involvement of the Prince of Wales and the Emir of Qatar in the cancellation of an �81 million modernist housing project, the High Court was told yesterday. Lord Saville ? an outstanding legal mind defined by Bloody Sunday inquiry 14 Jun 2010 at 7:50pm It is an irony of the Bloody Sunday inquiry that the most expensive and long judicial investigation in history was chaired by a judge chosen for his efficiency. Thousands detained unlawfully in police stop-and-search blunder 11 Jun 2010 at 1:01am Home Secretary's anger, Crime Central Barristers turn brokers as credit crunch hits divorce 10 Jun 2010 at 4:06pm The wife of the celebrity chef Marco Pierre White was due to enter the divorce courts on her own next week, without lawyers, to battle for a share of her husband?s estimated �50 million wealth. But publicity in The Times about her case has prompted a potential rescuer ? in the unlikely shape of a criminal set of barristers? chambers. Hague court sentences Bosnian Serbs to life for Srebrenica genocide 10 Jun 2010 at 1:48pm Two Bosnian Serbs were today convicted of genocide and sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in the massacre of 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica in 1995. Oil spill brings BP trouble from all corners 10 Jun 2010 at 1:01am Down in the Gulf of Mexico, BP is not just fighting to contain the massive oil leak from the explosion on the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon. It is also trying to absorb a build-up in litigation that is threatening to come ashore and overwhelm the courts ? possibly on both sides of the Atlantic. Lawyer of the Week: Amjad Malik 10 Jun 2010 at 1:01am Amjad Malik, a solicitor-advocate at the Rochdale firm Amjad Malik Solicitors, acted pro bono for three Pakistani students in a deportation appeal hearing at a Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in London and won the appeal against deportation in the case of Shoaib Khan. Michael Jackson bodyguard in libel trial challenge 10 Jun 2010 at 1:01am A controversial decision that a high-profile libel trial must go ahead without a jury is to be challenged in the Court of Appeal today. Rogue trader: ?I acted like a complete idiot? 9 Jun 2010 at 12:11pm The rogue trader who lost his bank almost ?164.5 billion told a French court that he had acted in a "completely idiotic" way when he staked tens of billions of euros on the stock market. President of the Supreme Court defends terror rulings 9 Jun 2010 at 1:01am The judge who heads Britain?s top court last night defended the Human Rights Act and recent rulings by courts that terrorist suspects cannot be sent home to their own countries. The Academies Bill - a simple idea, complex problems 8 Jun 2010 at 1:00am Academies are a hybrid: independent schools funded by central government. Those that exist ? about 200 ? were created because of population growth, parental demand or closure of a failing school. An open letter to Ken Clarke, the Lord Chancellor 8 Jun 2010 at 12:54am Congratulations on taking on responsibility for civil litigation. Rogue trader prepares for court battle 7 Jun 2010 at 2:40pm He earned worldwide notoriety as the rogue trader who lost ?4.9 billion (�4 billion) and his name became a by-word in his native France for the excesses of global capitalism. Business Doctor 6 Jun 2010 at 1:01am PENALTIES FOR LATE TAX PAYMENT
LSC announcements The latest news and updates. Immigration Advisory Service announce their decision to go into administration by Legal Services Commission 11 Jul 2011 at 1:00am LSC to secure alternative provision as soon as possible Statement on Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill by Legal Services Commission 21 Jun 2011 at 1:00am LSC relaunches Provider Reference Groups by Legal Services Commission 17 Jun 2011 at 1:00am New PRG meetings to be held in summer Community Legal Advice and LSC websites ? latest news by Legal Services Commission 23 Mar 2011 at 12:00am Update on the web convergence programme New home for LSC websites by Legal Services Commission 10 Nov 2010 at 12:00am LSC working with MoJ to move all our web content to the Justice and Directgov websites Update on the outcome of the Law Society's Judicial Review by Legal Services Commission 15 Oct 2010 at 1:00am Written judgment received Public Bodies Bill ? LSC?s future status by Legal Services Commission 14 Oct 2010 at 1:00am LSC included in October 14 Written Ministerial Statement on Public Bodies Review Programme Chair thanks outgoing commissioners by Legal Services Commission 9 Jun 2010 at 1:00am Praise for hard work and dedication New minister visits Citizens' Advice Bureau by Legal Services Commission 9 Jun 2010 at 1:00am Legal aid minister Jonathan Djanogly meets staff and clients at Wandsworth CAB Help us to help you better by Legal Services Commission 29 Apr 2010 at 1:00am We want to know what you think about our service Award of Crown Court representation orders for either way cases in early adop... by Legal Services Commission 13 Jan 2010 at 12:00am Defendants refused legal aid on the grounds of means before 11 January in early adopter magistrates? courts may need to make new applications. New contractor for Defence Solicitor Call Centre by Legal Services Commission 6 Jan 2010 at 12:00am We have appointed a new contractor to run the Defence Solicitor Call Centre (DSCC) service. Crown Court Means Testing ? new guidance now available by Legal Services Commission 6 Jan 2010 at 12:00am New guidance has been published ahead of Crown Court Means Testing (CCMT) starting on 11 January 2010. Immigration tender deadlines by Legal Services Commission 6 Jan 2010 at 12:00am Tenders to deliver immigration and asylum advice must be submitted by 28 January 2010. Tenders for 2010 standard crime contract by Legal Services Commission 10 Dec 2009 at 12:00am Applications invited for new contract that will run from July 2010	World Legal News - JURIST JURIST's weblog of legal news and resources worth thinking about, by Professor Bernard Hibbitts and law students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Canada security service authorized to use information obtained through torture 8 Feb 2012 at 6:21pm [JURIST] The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) [official website] is authorized to use and pass on information obtained through torture when Canadian lives are at stake, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews [official website] said Tuesday. The statements come in response to a controversial 2010 directive authorizing the use of such information that was obtained earlier this week [Reuters report] by a Canadian news agency through freedom of information laws. The directive allows the CSIS to use information which may have... UN rights chief calls for protection of Syria civilians 8 Feb 2012 at 6:13pm [JURIST] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official website] on Wednesday urged the international community [press release] to take action to protect Syrian civilians. Pillay argued that the failure of the UN Security Council [official website] to agree on collective action against Syria has encouraged the Syrian government to attack and kill civilians in order to quash dissent. Pillay declared that the Syrian government's violence against its own people constitutes a "serious international crime" and called on world... Uganda reintroduces legislation criminalizing homosexuality 8 Feb 2012 at 5:15pm [JURIST] The Parliament of Uganda [official website] on Tuesday reintroduced legislation that would criminalize certain homosexual activities. Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] has criticized the bill [press release] as "a grave assault on human rights." The proposed legislation is a new version of another bill [Reuters report] first introduced in October 2009. The original bill [text, PDF] contained provisions requiring the death penalty for "repeat offenders." It is not clear whether the new bill has removed some of these provisions,... Pakistan PM appeals high court summons in contempt case 8 Feb 2012 at 4:34pm [JURIST] Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] on Wednesday appealed a summons issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan [official website] demanding he appear [JURIST report] in a hearing against him for contempt. The contempt charge stems from Gilani's refusal to purse corruption charges against Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari [profile]. Gilani has maintained that he would not pursue charges against President Zardari because the president has immunity as the head of state [Al Jazeera... UN rights expert urges Panama to end clashes with indigenous peoples 8 Feb 2012 at 4:16pm [JURIST] The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples James Anaya [official website] urged the Panamanian government on Tuesday to open a dialogue [press release, in Spanish] with the country's indigenous peoples in an effort to alleviate tension and reduce violence. The request comes after one indigenous group occupied portions of the Pan-American Highway in protest of mining and drilling activities taking place on their lands. As a result of these protests and clashes with the police, one... Vatican prosecutor says bishops must uphold laws to protect victims of sexual... 8 Feb 2012 at 4:08pm [JURIST] The Vatican [official website] sex crimes prosecutor warned bishops on Wednesday that they must follow rules in place for protecting victims of sexual abuse in the church or they risk being sanctioned. Monsignor Charles Scicluna, the church appointed prosecutor in the ongoing clergy sex abuse [JURIST news archive] scandals, issued his warning at a symposium of bishops, the purpose of which was to begin formulating guidelines to keep children safe. In February 2010, the Vatican unveiled church procedures [JURIST... Berlusconi facing new trial on wiretap charges 8 Feb 2012 at 2:46pm [JURIST] A judge in Milan ruled Tuesday that former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi [BBC profile; JURIST news archives] will stand trial for publicly releasing a secret wiretap in 2005. The prosecution alleges that Berlusconi published the transcript of a tapped phone conversation [BBC report] in Il Giornale [media website, in Italian], a national newspaper owned by his brother. The conversation in question took place between Berlusconi's biggest political rival at the time, Piero Fassino [official website, in Italian], and... EU court limits privacy rights for public figures 7 Feb 2012 at 7:46pm [JURIST] The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) [official website] issued two rulings [press release] on Tuesday upholding the right of the media to report on celebrities and limiting celebrities' right to privacy. In Axel Springer AG v. Germany [judgment], the court examined whether a German actor's right to privacy was violated when a paper published a newspaper article and photos of his arrest for illegal drug possession at a public festival. The court determined that an injunction restricting publication... UNICEF claims bloodshed in Syria has led to hundreds of child deaths 7 Feb 2012 at 6:37pm [JURIST] The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) [official website] reported Tuesday that the nearly 11 months of violence in Syria have led to the deaths and injuries of hundreds of children [press release]. In particular, UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado said that, "[a]s of the end of January, 400 children are dead and more than 400 have been detained." Mercado added that UNICEF has also received reports of arbitrary child arrests, torture and sexual abuse while in detention. Although she did not... ICTY sentences former case manager to 12 months for contempt 7 Feb 2012 at 6:20pm [JURIST] Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website; JURIST news archive] on Tuesday rendered a judgment [summary, PDF] against Jelena Rasic, sentencing her to 12 months imprisonment on contempt charges. The judgment came following the acceptance of a plea agreement [JURIST] last week. Rasic was the former case manager for Bosnian war criminal Milan Lukic [judgment, PDF]. She pleaded guilty [amended indictment, PDF] last week to five counts of contempt against the...
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How are Solicitors and Barristers appointed?
processes for Solicitors and barristers appointments? HOW TO BECOME ONE

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Can neighbour force me to repair roof?
I am a landlord of a property on the next street to where I live. The neighbour of the property has been round to my house complaining about a garage roof which has a small leak, saying it is affecting their property because the garage is joined on to theirs. The neighbour came round about a month ago, and then again this morning. On both occasions she brought her son round, who was very rude and aggressive each time and has threatened to see a solicitor as I have so far refused to do the job as I believe it is a joint responsibility. I have also spoken to the tenant at the property who said although there is a leak she's not too worried about it as it's only fairly minor. My tenant has now told me the neighbour sent 2 men round to the house and she found them up a ladder looking at the roof. She was quite worried about this as it was in the evening and was worried in case they were trying to break in. It was also disturbing for her husband and in particular 3 children who live there. I would like to know what the position is regarding the roof and also the neighbour's actions. It may be that I have to do the roof, which I can do if it comes to the crunch, but surely the neighbour doesnt have the right to disturb my tenants in this way. Thanks for your help.

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what is the average solicitors fees on selling a property valued at �145,000 in west lancashire?

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what does : events that led to your disqualification: mean?
i recently applied for somthing and got refused this was the reason y i was refused, you had not been open about the events leading to disquallificatiopn??? what does this mean when i ad been 100% honest it was my previous employer lied on a reference about me to protect them selves i have evidance of this like so im goin to sue them for discriminatory, does any 1 no wha that means and does any 1 no of a good solicitor to sue the arse of this terrible work forse

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What can happen if your husband/wife dies before you and leaves all her inheritance to your children?
We are talking UK here. Some my partner is frightened that if I remarry all her part of our joint property may go to the new partner. So she says she wants to right a will leaving everything she has to my daughter. We have been married 8 years, during which time she hasn't worked and has no savings to speak of except her share of what I have earned. I also have other savings from before our marriage. Our daughter is currently 5 years old. Could I be evicted from your home and/or lose half my wealth which I budgeted for retirement based totally or have it locked up in some solicitor created fund on the whim of our child? Likewise I would not like our daughter to lose her inheritance if I die before my wife. Apart from giving one's word is there anyway to protect each other and our child? Apparently in her home country parents fraction of domestic property is automatically inherited by the children but the surviving spouse has the right to use of property until their death.

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what should i do about this guy?
ok so i'm 26 i have 2 children and a pub I have been married to there dad for just under a year any ways my husband is a useless lazy cannabis smoking layabout that has his mates working in the bar and lets them speak to me like rubbish and they all basically take over, make me feel unwelcome, get stoned and drunk all night so my husband cannot get out of bed on a morning and i end up having to do everything in the pub with my 2 and 4 year old so we separated about 2 months ago but are still living in the pub together for business sakes. anyways i met someone he's 43 has his own company and comes in the pub we started seeing each other. it does not affect my children because i only see him when they're out. anyway everyone knows about us so i told my parents who know him from coming in the pub they've gone mad and said i have to stop seeing him my dad is looking for him currently to beat the hell out of him and my mum says i have to stop seeing him now. They've said they will cut me out of there will and disown me if i see him anymore. They've even said they will get a solicitor for my husband (who they also dislike because they know about the drugs) to get custody over the kids. The reason they hate him is because hes in the pub when he's not at work and gets drunk a few nights a week. He is also opinionated and will stand up for himself against them.The thing about him is is that he had a GF a couple of months ago and he was never in here because he was always with her he's only in the pub because he's single lonely and gets bored sitting around at home i know he would pack in being in the pub all the time if we got together properly. now what i was planning on doing was getting my own place with all my own stuff i already have another job lined up and getting on with my life independently with my babies if this guy wants to come visit when the kids aren't about then ill let him but my parents want me to pack it in all together or ill be dis owed. what should i do? what would you do?

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UK Law....Do solicitors have a responsibility when executing a Will?
Specifically a married couple benefit from separate gifts of say �1000 each. Only they have knowledge of the contents of the Will. One of the couple dies. The person whose Will it is, is still alive. So the surviving partner could go back and get the Will altered. It would have to be as you can not leave something to someone who is dead. However the surviving partner does nothing, the person whose Will it is eventually dies. Because of their inaction the surviving partner now benefits from both gifts (hers and her husbands). OK the Will was written by other solicitors but if this manipulation was pointed out to the present solicitors should they act? This is a real situation happening now and results in one person getting the vast majority of a large estate.

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How much are legal fees for employment tribunal action?
I'm going to be getting some legal advice about a potential tribunal claim I have and obviously I'll ask for quotes, but I would like to get some idea of costs so I know I'm being quoted in the right ball park. How much approximately have others had to pay for: - initial fees for a solicitor to be your representative on the ET1 form - solicitor fees when settling out of court and not going all the way to tribunal - total fees if you ended up going all the way to tribunal Many thanks. Thanks - but I need details for the UK.

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Wills and changes to ownership of property?
My wife has written a Will in which her Solicitor has changed the ownership of the house from a Joint Tenancy to a Tenants in Common without my agreement, Is this legal?

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Contesting grounds of divorce?
My husband is applying for divorce on the grounds of adultery... However, this is NOT the reason our marriage came to an end and I made it clear our marriage was over before entering into another relationship. Therefore I want to contest the application on the grounds but I DO want to get divorced.. Is this possible? Has anyone contested the grounds and still got the divorce processed? NB- I applied for divorce on grounds of unreasonable behaviour but my husband had submitted his application first so my solicitor advised there can only be one divorce so to wait for his submission... Lutenant - I will happily name my man myself, I am not ashamed of my new relationship. I now have my life back. Like I said I made it clear our marriage was over before entering another relationship (which has been more than 7 months) You have no idea what I went through with my husband so keep your nasty tongue inside your arrogant head.

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