EVENT: UCL – Lunch Hour Lecture: Should we trust lawyers?

Posted December 5th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Public trust in lawyers is on the decline. Some of this is inevitable: Hackgate, the financial scandal and Hillsborough have all involved lawyers at pivotal moments. But are lawyers just doing their jobs in these cases or crossing ethical boundaries? An analysis of professional rules, lawyer psychology and economics suggest lawyers need to do some work to rebuild trust and behave more professionally.’

Date: 4th February 2014, 13.15-13.55pm

Location: Darwin Lecture Theatre, Darwin Building, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Gresham College – Criminal Minds

Posted December 5th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘What makes a criminal? Are they born or made? How do personality, social deprivation and upbringing affect criminality? Is crime due to economic need, a failure of conscience or a need for excitement?’

Date: 21st January 2014, 6:00pm

Location: Museum of London

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

EVENT: UCL CLP – Exploring Solutions to a Persistent Legal Problem: Conceptualising the Rights of Children in Detention

Posted December 5th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Children in detention are one of the most vulnerable groups in society, and their removal from the community and into the secure estate compounds the disadvantages that many of them have previously experienced. Rights can therefore take on even greater significance for this group. Over the past 15 years, children and their advocates have sought to use the law in an attempt to protect those rights and to bring about improvements in how children deprived of their liberty are treated. But there are limits to what has been achieved and the proposed changes to legal aid, judicial review and the possible repeal of the Human Rights Act are likely to present even greater hurdles for the realisation of the rights of detained children. This lecture will examine the developing law in this area and explore the extent to which the concepts of vulnerability and best interests have shaped the legal and human rights of children in custody. It will then go on to consider whether other concepts – including home, care and responsibility – could be better used in order to understand and secure the rights of children deprived of their liberty.’

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 6:00 PM

Location: UCL Faculty of Laws, Bentham House, Endsleigh Gardens, London WC1H 0EG

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Birkbeck – From Civil Partnership to Same-Sex Marriage 2004-2014: An Interdisciplinary Workshop

Posted December 5th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The Civil Partnership Act 2004 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 are important legal, social and historical landmarks. For beyond their practical implications, same-sex relationship recognition, throughout the western world, has become a key site of political contestation rich in symbolic, material and cultural meanings. While fiercely opposed by many, within mainstream narratives they are often represented as a victory in a legal reform process that commenced with the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Yet, at the same time, for others they represent a problematic and ambivalent political engagement with the institution of marriage. Consequently, understood and labelled as ‘revolutionary’, ‘progressive’ and ‘conservative’ these reforms provide a space for thinking about issues that arguably affect everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or relationship status.’

Date: 17th-18th January 2014

Location: 43 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PD

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: UCL CLP – In support of an English Contract Code

Posted December 5th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘English contract law enjoys an enormous degree of rational strength, together with a practical and down-to-earth approach which is the envy of many civilian systems (and, of course, an attraction for business people for whom it exists). In doctrine and comprehensibility, however, its record is less impressive, as anyone will testify who has struggled to explain its workings in terms that make sense to a civilian audience. The aim of this lecture is to suggest that a codification of its rules from a purely English perspective would get rid of many of these difficulties, and would in addition avoid many of the problems inherent in proposals for a more or less pan-European codified contract law.’

Date: 16th January 2014, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: UCL Faculty of Laws, Bentham House, Endsleigh Gardens, London WC1H 0EG

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

The legal arguments behind the naming of Marine A – The Guardian

Posted December 5th, 2013 in anonymity, appeals, armed forces, courts martial, media, murder, news by sally

‘It has taken more than a year for the courts to agree that the man previously known as Marine A should be named.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th December 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge orders UK ban of one HTC device but stays decision on ban of another – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 5th, 2013 in intellectual property, news, patents, stay of proceedings, telecommunications by sally

‘An HTC mobile device will be banned from sale in the UK after Friday afternoon unless the company wins the right to appeal against the imposition of that ban on that timescale.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 5th December 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Christian Celestina Mba loses Sunday shifts appeal – BBC News

‘A Christian care worker who claimed she was forced to leave her job after refusing to work Sundays because of her faith has lost her legal appeal.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 5th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Van Benefit and Car and Van Fuel Benefit Order 2013

The Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) (England) (No. 2) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Defamation (Operators of Websites) Regulations 2013

The Defamation Act 2013 (Commencement) (England and Wales) Order 2013

The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted December 5th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Supreme Court

Martin Corey, Re for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) [2013] UKSC 76 (4 December 2013)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Khan & Ors v R [2013] EWCA Crim 2230 (04 December 2013)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Roberts v Hook & Anor [2013] EWCA Civ 1564 (04 December 2013)

Harrison & Ors v Technical Sign Company Ltd & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 1569 (04 December 2013)

EU Plants Ltd v Wokingham Borough Council [2013] EWCA Civ 1542 (04 December 2013)

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v MM & Anor [2013] EWCA Civ 1565 (04 December 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Rosenzweig v NMC Recordings Ltd [2013] EWHC 3792 (Ch) (04 December 2013)

Palmer & Harvey McLane Ltd v Garrad & Anor [2013] EWHC 3810 (Ch) (04 December 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Odigie, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Justice [2013] EWHC 3795 (Admin) (04 December 2013)

Robinson, R (on the application of) v HMP Whatton & Anor [2013] EWHC 3777 (Admin) (04 December 2013)

Kumar, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 3794 (Admin) (04 December 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Sentencing of Marine A: why neither a harsh nor a lenient sentence is appropriate – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 5th, 2013 in armed forces, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Most will now be familiar with the widely reported case of Marine A; he was convicted at the Court Martial on 8 November 2013 of murder. On 15 September 2011, Marine A shot a wounded Afghan soldier once in the chest after his base in Helmand had come under attack from two insurgents. An Apache helicopter was sent in as support and the Afghan soldier in question was seriously injured by gunfire from the helicopter. Footage of the incident caught on the helmet mounted camera of a second marine revealed that, upon discovering the injured soldier, Marine A asked if any of his men wanted to give the soldier first aid. Other marines replied in the negative and Marine A proceeded to, as the prosecution described, “execute” the soldier.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th December 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

PM taskforce recommends new powers to tackle extremism – Home Office

‘New measures to tackle extremism and radicalisation across the UK have been proposed by the Prime Minister’s Extremism Taskforce.’

Full story

Home Office, 4th December 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Attorney General and the Lord Chief Justice issue revised guidance to the legal profession on disclosure – Attorney General’s Office

Posted December 5th, 2013 in criminal procedure, disclosure, legal profession, news by sally

‘The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP and the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales the Lord Thomas today [3 December] published a revised judicial protocol and revised guidance on the disclosure of unused material in criminal cases. They have been prepared following the recommendations of Lord Justice Gross in his September 2011 ‘Review of Disclosure in Criminal Proceedings’ and take account of Lord Justice Gross and Lord Justice Treacy’s ‘Further review of disclosure in criminal proceedings: sanctions for disclosure failure’, published in November 2012.’

Full story

Attorney General’s Office, 3rd December 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Industrial disease victims central to changes – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 5th, 2013 in asbestos, consultations, costs, industrial injuries, insurance, news, victims by sally

‘Sufferers of a deadly industrial disease are central to new plans to improve the way they claim compensation, Courts Minister Shailesh Vara announced today.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 4th December 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

In the matter of an application by Martin Corey (AP) for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) – Supreme Court

In the matter of an application by Martin Corey (AP) for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) [2013] UKSC 76 | UKSC 2012/0217 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 4th December 2013

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

In the matter of KL (A Child) – Supreme Court

In the matter of KL (A Child) [2013] UKSC 75 | UKSC 2013/0212 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 4th December 2013

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Sickness benefits legal challenge to continue – BBC News

‘Two people with mental health problems can continue their challenge against government tests for sickness benefit, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The essential cases every law student should know – The Guardian

Posted December 5th, 2013 in law reports, legal education, news by sally

‘From the longest case in English legal history to Lord Denning’s rulings, judicial decisions are a law student’s bread and butter.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th December 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court judge orders life-saving bone marrow transplant to go ahead for three-year-old boy against father’s will – The Independent

Posted December 5th, 2013 in children, medical treatment, news, parental rights by sally

‘A three-year-old boy whose father tried to prevent him receiving life-saving hospital treatment will have a bone marrow transplant on Thursday following an emergency ruling by a High Court judge.

Full story

The Independent, 4th December 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court to rule on wheelchairs or pushchairs to have priority on public transport – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 5th, 2013 in appeals, children, disabled persons, news, transport by sally

‘One of the most senior judges in Britain has ruled that the Appeal Court needs to intervene in a long running dispute over whether wheelchair users or pushchair users should have priority on buses’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk