High profile cases have a way of reminding a certain branch of the legal profession that solicitor’s insurance is a must for those that operate at the sharp end.
Barristers might get all the glory in the big cases, but its solicitors who do much of the preparatory work. Which means nearly all of the profession take out good solicitors insurance.
And no doubt the legal team behind Phil Woolas will have the appropriate cover. The former labour immigration minister, who has been suspended by the Labour Party, was stripped of his Commons seat by a ruling from a special election court which decided that he made false statements whilst campaigning to stay the member of parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth. He was banned for three years.
Mr Woolas appealed to the High Court for a judicial review, but this was rejected. He is appealing again to the Royal Courts of Justice for such a review and until the case is heard, then a by-election for the seat in question cannot be organised.
The case against Mr Woolas – who was famously ‘cornered’ by Joanna Lumley during her campaign for better rights for Ghurkha soldiers – centres on him alledgedly stirring up racial issues in order to put his major competitor for the seat, Liberal Democrat Elwyn Watkins, at a disadvantages. Mr Woolas won the seat after the bitter campaign by a mere 103 votes.
His legal team will undoubtedly have availed themselves of the best solicitor’s insurance that can be arranged.
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