Pro bono or Conditional Fee Arrangement (CFA)?

[John]

It isn't John...the first action is a letter of intent

A litigant only sends a letter where they wish some continuing libel expunged.  If someone wishes to sue a party for a substantial sum of money a letter is pointless.  Nobody pays out huge sums of money without a court action being raised first.

You appear to hold the view that the McCann's lawyer sent a letter to the media demanding compensation for a potential libel and that the media agreed.  It just doesn't work like that in the real world.

[Mr Gray]

A litigant only sends a letter where they wish some libel expunged.

Have a look at the link I have provided.... defamation actions start with a letter of intent...not a writ

Unless lawyers follow procedure costs will not be awarded...CR would then be working for nothing

[Mr Gray]

A litigant only sends a letter where they wish some continuing libel expunged.  If someone wishes to sue a party for a substantial sum of money a letter is pointless.  Nobody pays out huge sums of money without a court action being raised first.

They pay out a substantial sum of court action is threatened and they have no defence....as happened in this case
If they don't...as the BBC found out it will cost them millions

[John]

Have a look at the link I have provided.... defamation actions start with a letter of intent...not a writ

Unless lawyers follow procedure costs will not be awarded...CR would then be working for nothing

A letter of intent is not mandatory.

[Mr Gray]

A letter of intent is not mandatory.

If the lawyers want to recover their costs...it is
If CR didn't follow pre action protocol they would not be able to recover their costs...I can't see any legal firm not following legal guidelines...it would be professional suicide

[G-Unit]

If the lawyers want to recover their costs...it is
If CR didn't follow pre action protocol they would not be able to recover their costs...I can't see any legal firm not following legal guidelines...it would be professional suicide

Lawyers working pro bono aren't bothered about costs.

[Mr Gray]

Lawyers working pro bono aren't bothered about costs.

Perhaps you could comment on John's claims...offer him some support

[Mr Gray]

A litigant only sends a letter where they wish some continuing libel expunged.  If someone wishes to sue a party for a substantial sum of money a letter is pointless.  Nobody pays out huge sums of money without a court action being raised first.

You appear to hold the view that the McCann's lawyer sent a letter to the media demanding compensation for a potential libel and that the media agreed.  It just doesn't work like that in the real world.

That is exactly how it works in the real world..there may have been some negotiation...but that's how it works

[Alice Purjorick]

I would agree with that, the newspapers paid CR as part of the out-of-court settlement.

Which means the McCanns paid.

[Robittybob1]

As I said I wonder why this matters.

[Brietta]

As I said I wonder why this matters.

In my opinion it matters  great deal to some who resent that there was Madeleine's Fund which allowed the search for Madeleine to be financed and who also resent the fact that Madeleine's parents were able to take successful legal action against press lies.
I believe in their ideal world there would have been no Madeleine Fund; and I believe that in that ideal dream world they imagine the parents dipping into that Fund to finance their legal action against those who were libelling them.

The fact that what legal action they did take against the press was spectacularly successful and became a net earner putting money into Madeleine's Fund does not sit well with some ... hence why it all matters terribly  ... in my opinion, of course.

[Angelo222]

In my opinion it matters  great deal to some who resent that there was Madeleine's Fund which allowed the search for Madeleine to be financed and who also resent the fact that Madeleine's parents were able to take successful legal action against press lies.
I believe in their ideal world there would have been no Madeleine Fund; and I believe that in that ideal dream world they imagine the parents dipping into that Fund to finance their legal action against those who were libelling them.

The fact that what legal action they did take against the press was spectacularly successful and became a net earner putting money into Madeleine's Fund does not sit well with some ... hence why it all matters terribly  ... in my opinion, of course.

Clearly for some people, the fact that a fund which was created to search for a missing child has been abused to the extent it has does not sit too well. The false promises of transparency only serving to reinforce and compound this view.

[barrier]

As I said I wonder why this matters.

That can be and should be used on all threads,nothing but nothing posted on here matters a jot in the grand scheme of things.

[Mr Gray]

That can be and should be used on all threads,nothing but nothing posted on here matters a jot in the grand scheme of things.

absolutely true

[G-Unit]

In my opinion it matters  great deal to some who resent that there was Madeleine's Fund which allowed the search for Madeleine to be financed and who also resent the fact that Madeleine's parents were able to take successful legal action against press lies.
I believe in their ideal world there would have been no Madeleine Fund; and I believe that in that ideal dream world they imagine the parents dipping into that Fund to finance their legal action against those who were libelling them.

The fact that what legal action they did take against the press was spectacularly successful and became a net earner putting money into Madeleine's Fund does not sit well with some ... hence why it all matters terribly  ... in my opinion, of course.

The thread isn't about the reasons why the McCanns acted against the press or about what they did with the damages they won. It's about the arrangement between the McCanns and Carter-Ruck during the case against Express Newspapers.

The arrangement the McCanns made with their lawyers isn't important. It only gained importance when it was suggested that it was a pro bono arrangement when it clearly wasn't imo.