Angst-ridden British royals ponder reform; feeling a strong blast of public disapproval, the queen may permit constitutional changes

Article Abstract:

The British royal family is pondering various constitutional changes to the crown. Queen Elizabeth II has established a family committee called the Way Ahead Group to discuss possible reforms. Possibilities include abolition of the rule giving sons preference over daughters in succession to the throne, curtailing Parliament's financial subsidy of the monarchy removing the ban against the marriage of royal heirs to Roman Catholics and stopping the tradition of having the reigning monarch be head of the Church of England. Constitutional changes eliminating discrimination against women in the royal succession have already taken place in Sweden and Belgium.

United Kingdom, Kings and rulers, Nobility, Royal succession, Peerage

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Practice sales may be allowed; the ABA and some states now permit the sale of law practices under prescribed conditions

Article Abstract:

About a dozen jurisdictions have adopted ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.17 stating that lawyers and law firms who fulfil certain conditions including written notice to each seller/client can sell or buy law practices, including good will. This makes it easier for retiring sole practitioners and small-firm lawyers to sell their practices and receive compensation for practice development activities, including good will. The estates of deceased lawyers can also receive compensation this way. As to larger firms, their shareholders or partners can receive such compensation through other techniques, such as a firm-wide retirement plan.

Evaluation, Economic aspects, Finance, Attorneys, Lawyers, Law firms, Goodwill (Business), Business sale

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In drug approvals, roles of PTO, FDA overlap; it might be possible to permit the FDA alone to establish utility to the PTO's satisfaction

Article Abstract:

In the Brana ruling, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the PTO had confused its role with that of the FDA in establishing drug safety and efficacy. By the time of this decision, the PTO had already come out with its Utility Examination Guidelines which take a less harsh approach to utility and enablement than earlier PTO actions in drug-related applications, holding that sufficient utility is shown when the use of a drug is credible to one "ordinarily skilled in the art." PTO determination of utility and enablement may, however, be a costly and unnecessary part of the drug approval process.

Powers and duties, United States. Food and Drug Administration, United States. Patent and Trademark Office, Drug approval

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