THE JACKSON family are world famous for their music, but it's Michael Jackson's lawsuits and civil litigation claims which have kept them in the spotlight in recent years.

A few days ago there was speculation that Michael Jackson hadn't written a will and his parents made a quick application to get control over his estate.

However, Michael Jackson's lawyer, John Branca holds a will that appoints himself and John McCain, a music executive, as co-executors of Michael Jackson's estate.

The highs, lows, dancing and Roger Phillips from Saturday's Crowne Plaza bash. Scores of the city's top barristers and solicitors crammed into the hotel to see who would pick up the Liverpool Law Society's Legal Awards 2009.

SCORES of Merseyside and Cheshire's finest legal practionners crammed into the Crowne Plaza hotel on Saturday to hear who had scooped Liverpool Law Society's Legal Awards 2009.

And the winners are:

Law Firm of the Year - Jackson & Canter
sponsored by Alpha Biolabs

Niche Law Firm of the Year - Shipley Solicitors
sponsored by Laird Assessors

Corporate Team of the Year - Halliwells
sponsored by The National Solicitors Network

Real Estate and Environment Law Team of the Year - DLA Piper
sponsored by SearchFlow

Personal Injury Team of the Year - John Pickering & Partners
sponsored by Frenkel Topping

Dispute Resolution Team of the Year - Weightmans
sponsored by Robinsons Personal Financial Planners

Employment Team of the Year - Hill Dickinson
sponsored by DX

President's Award for Human Rights Work - Jackson & Canter
sponsored by Liverpool Daily Post

Barrister of the Year - Paul Burns, Exchange Chambers
sponsored by Allied Irish Bank

Merseyside Junior Lawyers Division Person of the Year - Edward Turner, Berrymans Lace Mawer
sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University

EasyJet weddings - what next?

Interesting phenomena occurring in the North West recently: clients who comment that their divorce costs more than their wedding.

Now isn't that just about the most unromantic thing you've heard this week?

Admittedly, my choice of career (divorce lawyer) isn't generally hearts and flowers all the way but I'm a believer all the same. Can it be true that weddings are cheaper than divorces?

THERE is constant discussion as to whether we can call "the bottom of the property market" and with significant uncertainty still in the market it's a very difficult call to make.

But we have seen increasing signs of clients willing again to invest which suggests there may be profit to be made which is some change from the trend over past months.

A very significant and successful London based operator in the national property market said recently history has shown that residential property has, on average, risen between 6% and 7% per annum for the past 50 years, despite big ups and horrible downs. My experience over the last 25 years reflects that and it is a statement of fact.

CRIMINAL lawyers are railing against plans to close Merseyside's "occasional" Magistrates' Courts sittings.

Merseyside's Justice Issues Working Group, chaired by Norman Draper, wants to close five of the city region's courts on Saturdays and Bank Holidays.

The move would save just over £20,000 a year.

THE healthcare practice group has been extremely busy over the last few weeks, preparing for our attendance at the annual NHS Confederation Conference, which was being held for the first time in our home city of Liverpool.

The NHS Confederation is the independent membership body, which represents the NHS in England, and the Annual Conference is where NHS executives and managers meet to discuss issues affecting the NHS now, and how they are going to meet the considerable challenges of the future.

There was an expectant air to the Conference as delegates were to be addressed by both Andrew Lansley (Conservative Shadow Health Secretary) and Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham, making his first major speech in only his second week in the job.

HOW EXCITING! As all you devotees of LDP Legal Week will already know, Liverpool Law Society has kindly shortlisted me for the Barrister of the Year award, the winner of which is to be announced at their very posh do at the Crowne Plaza later this month.

As one of only two to be shortlisted from the (presumably) hundreds nominated (perhaps a slight exaggeration, I accept), the Hillas-Meehan household has now been thrown into a heightened state of turmoil/excitement/excruciating self-assessment.

On the plus side, should I win, I will be Liverpool Law Society's Barrister of the Year (hurrah).

It was a bad day for Everton fans when Chelsea lifted the FA Cup on Saturday, but law firm EAD Solicitors did at least manage to bring the trophy back to Merseyside last week.

Lee Flaherty, a Legal Executive in the Personal Injury department won a competition held by travel provider National Express to get the trophy brought to their office for a day - and he says that it was the next best thing to an Everton victory.

Lee said: "We all had great fun with the trophy on Thursday, and the experience got us even more excited for the match on Saturday. Even though Everton failed to win the match, we're still proud that the Cup was in the hands of Everton supporters- even if it was all too briefly."

MANY THANKS to all those who gave encouraging feedback from last week's inaugural blog.

And to those kind souls who pointed out that, despite the fêted media access rules, I was still spotted around Vernon Street without lipstick. Or matching shoes.

Thank you, very helpful comments indeed.