Liverpool University, John Moore’s has been labeled as ‘irresponsible’ for choosing to conduct a study into researching the effects of taking the class A drug methadone.

Methadone which is also known as Meow Meow or M-Cat has become increasingly popular amongst drug takers over the past twelve months and has received recent media coverage after being linked to six deaths in the U.K, the once ‘legal high’ was also sold as a plant fertilliser or was available by prescription, is now illegal to buy in the United Kingdom (and many other countries including the U.S) If a person is caught with the drug in their possession they will receive up to seven years in jail, dealing the drug can land the person a life imprisonment and/or unlimited fine.

The university has denied encouraging drug use, by assuring that the fifty participants called upon to take part in the study will not be supplied with the drugs, the researchers will be observing and questioning Methadone users taking their own Methadone substance.

When participants take the drug, they will be asked a series of structured questions to describe their mood as the high kicks in, the drug is reported to produce a similar high to that produced when taking ecstasy or Cocaine, improving sociability and increasing energy levels. Other tests will examine their ability to think coherently and complete logical tasks.

John Moore’s have defended their decision to conduct a study into Methadone by reasoning that ‘Controlled, authoritative research studies play a vital role in the formulation of laws and policies, particularly those which relate to health.’ Signifying that their reasons for completing the study are to improve the knowledge and understanding of the drug and understand its effects on the human mind for medical purposes.

For expert legal advice and representation visit your local merseyside solicitor today. Our team of Liverpool solicitors specialise in a wide range of legal areas.

Gaining some legal work experience is vital for anyone wanting to improve their chances of getting a training contract. A key reason for this is that the experience of studying and practising an area of law can often differ for people so the more real world experience they can get the better it is for them.

Many students will find that they enjoy more than one subject when studying, for example commercial law and criminal law. But when they start looking into which firms to apply to they will find that firms will tend to practise one of these areas or the other.

They may therefore choose to apply to both types of firm. However, unless they have had some practical experience of the types of law they are applying for they are taking a risk.

The risk is that when they start a training contract with a law firm that only then do they discover that they do not like the practical application of that type of law in the same way they liked it as a study option.

This illustrates how important it is for law students to undertake some real world legal work experience with a range of law firms.

The individual in the previous example would have been much better undertaking short law placements with a large commercial firm and a smaller high street firm specialising in criminal law. By doing so they would have been able to make a much more informed decision about where to apply to for their training contract and therefore reduce the risk of making a mistake.

Legal work experience exists in various forms from formal summer vacation schemes to more informal work shadowing or voluntary work.

It is important to research what the work experience opportunities are in the area you are studying and the area you will be living in during the holidays if different to where you will spend study time.

After doing the research you then need to form a written plan about who you are going to approach for work experience and when. Not only will this ensure you get practical experience in the areas of law you are interested in, it will also give you a broad experience to help with your decisions making later on.

To find out more about legal work experience visit: http://www.traineesolicitorsurgery.co.uk. You will also obtain more help about how to obtain a law training contract.

Divorce or separation can be a stressful process. You are often confused, unsure of your options. Getting specialist help from a marriage lawyer can help identify the best options for you as every family is different. The options are:

1. Trying to resolve the situation without any external help 2. Mediation 3. Collaborative law 4. Negotiation and litigation

Trying to manage the problem by yourself could be the low cost choice although it is not always the right decision for all. You often need to be told by a marriage lawyer of the legal rights and the outcomes of any decisions you make. There are lots of divorce solicitors close to Milton Keynes that can assist. Some are highly qualified in their field. The considerations which can assist you deciding the ideal options going forward include:

1. Making the process as painless as possible 2. Wanting to keep the costs down 3. Arriving at a quick solution 4. Clearing up complicated financial affairs 5. Wanting a fair solution 6. You want to have an impact on the end result

A discussion with a marriage lawyer can help you make the best decision for your future. Matters can often be further complicated when taking into account the needs of any children.

There are many marriage lawyers in and around Milton Keynes that you can pick from. A good option is to find one that offers many specialist services. Some marriage lawyers have undertaken specialist education and are aware of the requirements of their customers during this particularly painful period in their life.

A dedicated divorce lawyer will be able to steer you through the choices and highlight what is ideal for you.

Prior to selecting a marriage lawyer or divorce solicitor in Milton Keynes, make sure see Fiona Johnson’s resource online Marriage Lawyer, and Divorce Milton Keynes

More than ten years ago McLaren raced into the history books with the fastest production car ever built, the F1. They only built 106 of the hyper cars in a bid to maintain exclusivity but Chairman Ron Dennis has made an interesting announcement “Since 1966, when McLaren first raced in F1, 106 teams have come and gone – and that tells me that if we stay solely as an F1 team it will lead to extinction.” Their latest creation, the MP4-12C is an attempt to dodge the fate that has befallen many of their racing rivals.

McLaren plan to produce over 1000 of the cars in the each year, the same number as many of the companies it will be competing with. It is estimated to cost around 150,000 which is standard supercar money and there have been 1,600 pre-orders already.

The 12C is due for release in 2011 even though the plant it will be produced in is yet to be constructed, when it is it will create 300 new jobs. The car was unveiled at a press conference in McLaren’s space age headquarters in Woking, test drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button pulled back the sheets to uncover it to the press.

McLaren’s Managing Director Antony Sheriff stated “The 12C won’t take you to the edge of what’s possible; It will take you to the edge of the edge. It’s what we call an ‘and’ car. It’s powerful and efficient; lightweight and safe; fast and comfortable.” They have designed the car around their own engine and a unique concept carbon monocell structure making it super light and super strong. McLaren claim it will be capable of reaching 60mph in “under three seconds”.

The 12C is not being questioned as a supercar; instead the bigger question is whether the McLaren brand will be affected by the loss of their exclusivity? Will every millionaire want one if they know the wont own the only one on the roads? It’s a question that only time will answer but one that could determine the future of this Formula racing giant.

The speed the MP4-12C is capable might persuade McLaren to provide a driving offence solicitor with each car. Their previous F1 required almost every owner to enlist a speeding solicitor at some stage

The UK Government is looking to fall in line with the rest of the EU by reducing the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers. The current limit is 80mg per 100ml of blood which would allow the consumption of roughly a pint and a half of medium strength lager for an average sized man. The proposed limit would bring it down to 50mg per 100ml of blood is less than an average pint or a large glass of wine but would match the legal limit in the European Union.

Sir Peter North remarked that ”Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs still leads to a large number of deaths and serious injuries. The challenge is to see whether changes in the law and its processes can reduce casualties.”

An automatic 12 month driving ban currently faces any driver found over the legal limit but Sir Peter North QC is currently evaluating the case to introduce lower level penalty for anyone above the lower limit such as 6 points on a driving licence. He also hopes new changes could see harsher punishments for anyone found with illegal drugs in their bloodstream.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has proved that over 400 people a year are killed as a result of drink driving but this figure does not reflect any incidents where drivers were above the proposed lower limit. He also suggests drug-driving is a key concern for the public.

Sir Peter North QC claimed that ”Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs still leads to a large number of deaths and serious injuries. The challenge is to see whether changes in the law and its processes can reduce casualties”

However this proposal was not welcomed by everyone, Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations argued “We will fight this very very strongly,” he said. “This will penalise responsible people because of the behaviour of some idiots.

Thousands of drivers each year are convicted of a drink driving offence but even more are convicted, with lower penalties, of a speeding offence, something that causes many more fatalities each year.

The UK government is facing rising pressure to reduce the legal limit of alcohol consumption when driving. The limit currently stands at 80mg per 100ml of blood which is roughly a pint and a half of medium strength lager for an average sized man. The proposed limit would bring it down to 50mg per 100ml of blood which is little more than half a pint or a large glass of wine which is in line with the European Union limit.

At present, anyone found driving over the legal limit faces an automatic 12 month driving ban but Sir Peter North QC is currently evaluating the case to introduce a less significant penalty for anyone above the lower limit such as 6 points on a driving licence. Changes could also see prosecutions for drivers found with illegal drugs in their bloodstream, regardless of whether it impaired their performance.

According to the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, over 400 people were killed as a result of drink driving last year however this figure does not reflect any incidents where drivers were above the proposed lower limit. He also suggests drug-driving is a key concern for the public.

Sir Peter North exclaimed that ”Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs still leads to a large number of deaths and serious injuries. The challenge is to see whether changes in the law and its processes can reduce casualties.”

AA President, Edmund King also added “the legal issue is more complex than the limit as a sliding scale of penalties could reduce the deterrent effect. There is a serious problem with drink drive repeat offenders with recent figures suggesting that almost a quarter of drink drivers have served a previous ban.”

But the proposals were condemned by Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations. “We will fight this very very strongly,” he said. “This will penalise responsible people because of the behaviour of some idiots.

Thousands of motorists are prosecuted every year for a drink driving offence but the punishments for speeding are far less despite it causing a significantly higher number of deaths each year.

Three labour MPs on trial for fiddling expenses and refusing to pay them back are facing court, when they failed to successfully use parliamentary immunity, they planned to use legal aid paid for by the tax payer to defend themselves. This move was condemned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown who declared they will have to pay back the costs.

It is an attempt by Brown to assert his strict stance against expenses fraud in the lead up to the general election, but some legal experts have noted that there is no reason why anyone should not receive legal aid and have it paid for by the state.

Justice secretary Jack Straw said that it the government had already introduced reforms to enable means-tested legal aid although it would not be implemented in time for the MPs cases. Brown argued that the law has changed and although these changes will not take affect until June, it is just cause for the MPs to pay back the money.

The MPs have been accused of stealing over 60,000 through false mortgage applications, rent claims and service invoices. But at the expense of the taxpayer, the price of preparing their defence is likely to run into six figures even without the cost of the prosecution. There is further risk of the MPs having the case thrown out the Supreme Court which could send the cost even higher.

The total cost of the case has been speculated to exceed 3million and the investigation has so far cost Scotland Yard over 500,000. Trials will begin on May 27th at Southwark Crown Court in London where a spokesman has confirmed that the MPs were granted an application for legal aid, hiring high priced lawyers that cost hundreds of pounds an hour. If found guilty, the MPs could face up to seven years in prison for stealing taxpayers money.

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The state of the economy at the time when law students are completing their studies can often affect the students chances of getting a legal training contract and becoming a solicitor. It is clearly more advantageous to be looking for jobs in a prosperous time than it is in a recession.

However, all is not lost should someone be graduating in a recession as solicitors are always in demand and law firms will always be offering graduates training contracts.

There may also be an advantage to graduating in a time of economic hardship. If applicants are successful in getting a law training contract in a recession they may have a brighter future than someone who gets one at a more affluent time.

It follows that if there are less trainee solicitors taken on during the recession there will be less solicitors qualifying a couple of years down the line. This will mean more opportunities to pick the newly qualified solicitor job of their choice and increased demand from firms for solicitors at their level of experience. This may well result in better pay and improved career progression chances.

Therefore the important thing is to work out how to improve the chances of succeeding in getting a law training contract and getting ahead of the competition in a recession.

One of the best things you can do to improve your chances of success is to plan your career and applications meticulously. However, if you try to do everything at once it is likely to overwhelm you. What you should do however is work out which are the right things to be focusing on at any given time.

The preparation should include early research and planning about which university to go to, what courses to do, which specific areas of law to study. It should also include planning about what kind of work experience to get, what extra-curricular activities to get involved in and which firms to apply to for vacation schemes and training contracts.

Once at university, getting work experience and applying for jobs should be seen as another module in your course. Something that you do consistently throughout the year and which you build your knowledge and skills in constantly so as to put you ahead of the others.

We all know that dedication, planning, research and perseverance can help you succeed in your exams and get better marks than others. A similar approach can also help you put yourself ahead of many others with your training contract applications.

Click here for more information about getting a law training contract. Also check out our advice on how to become a solicitor.

There are new law firms opening every day in the UK. Law firms in Europe are expanding their dominance all over the UK and the rest of the world. The UK is an excellent place to become a solicitor because the size of the legal market in Europe is growing at an extremely fast pace. Don’t worry if you haven’t completed a degree in the field of law, you can still become a solicitor. Only approximately 50% of solicitors even have a degree in law.

For anyone with a non-law degree there is an extra academic step to be taken when compared to those who do a law degree. Non-law students must do a law conversion course in the form of the Graduate Diploma in Law or the Common Professional Exam. This is a one year full-time course, or two year part-time course, which brings non-law students up to a similar knowledge base as those who have studied a law degree.

After completing a law degree or a law conversion course students then undertake the Legal Practice Course, which was created to equip trainee solicitors with the ability to practice law in the UK. It takes a year to complete the Legal Practice Course if attended full time and two years if attended part time. This is the final course trainee solicitors must attend before starting their training contract.

Lastly, the two year training contract is the final thing you must do to qualify as a UK solicitor. The training contract contains the Professional Skills Course, which is practice-based training that trainee solicitors must complete successfully. The training contract usually varies in format depending on what size firm trainees are with. Larger firms usually are more structured than smaller firms. A law firm does not have to offer trainee solicitors a training contract, but with experience and good academics trainees can greatly improve their chances of securing one.

There are guidelines in place that state firms must have a training principal who is in charge of giving sufficient and useful work to trainee solicitors. The training principal must also answer questions and give both guidance and performance feedback. They are also in charge of records showing that training meets the Law Society’s requirements.

Many trainee solicitors will rotate through different departments within a firm while completing their training contract. The Law Society stipulates that trainee solicitors must work in at least three different areas of work, both contentious and non-contentious, during their training contract.

The process to become a solicitor in the UK may soon be changing; the Solicitors Regulation Authority are piloting new work based learning routes which may put an end to training contracts in 2011. These routes will allow paralegals to qualify as a solicitor.

To apply for a training contract, trainee solicitors must either fill out an application form or apply using a CV and covering letter depending on each firm’s preference.

Information and resources for students considering becoming a solicitor. For more information the necessary career path of a solicitor click here: Become a Solicitor.

Britain’s most convicted driver, Thomas Feely, was sentenced to a five month jail term after collecting over 110 driving offences. Police had pulled him over under suspicion of drink driving to find he was driving his van with no licence, no insurance and whilst currently disqualified just three days before he was due to be sentenced for an earlier similar offence.

Despite contesting he needs to drive because of his mobile DJ business, Leeds magistrates said his 59 previous driving bans were the worst they had ever seen and there would be no excuses. Feely has been convicted of 89 offences in his 28 years of driving, but so far avoided jail.

The reputation of British traffic police has suffered in recent times, with some counties reporting over 30 convictions on some roads per day. Although over 6000 speed cameras have been installed, the government has received much criticism as there has been little effect on road safety. Many critics argue that the safety of motorists is being used as an excuse to generate revenue for the government in the form of speeding fines.

Spokeswoman of road safety charity ‘brake’ Sarah Fatica says, “Anyone who has been disqualified so many times poses a serious risk on the roads, it’s disturbing that he has been allowed to continue breaking his ban time and time again.” She exclaimed that “Five months in jail is laughable given his continued disregard for the law”

An increase in car insurance for Britain’s drivers has been attributed to behaviour like Feely’s. Comprehensive insurance policy now costs on average over 1000 a year, an increase of 20% since 2008. The AA has claimed this is largely due to uninsured drivers, which are expected to cost UK motorists 2.1bn in the next year. This is predicted to cause a vicious cycle with a recession causing a decrease in income causing more and more people are tempted to drive without insurance, therefore raising premiums.

If you have been convicted of and driving offences you could make use of a traffic offence solicitor especially if you already have a drink driving ban