High Court overturns trio of cost judge rulings over “failing to advise properly” on CFA switches – Litigation Futures

Posted July 5th, 2016 in appeals, costs, fees, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

‘The High Court has overturned three high-profile costs rulings in which Irwin Mitchell lost the right to recover success fees and insurance premiums from defendants after failing to advise on the 10% uplift in general damages before switching clients from legal aid.’

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Litigation Futures, 4th July 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Sharia review seeks experiences – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 5th, 2016 in consultations, inquiries, islamic law, news, solicitors by sally

‘Solicitors who have experience of sharia law were today urged to take part in an independent review examining whether the religious code is being misused within Britain.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th July 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Has the rule of law ever been more important? – Legal Futures

Posted July 5th, 2016 in brexit, EC law, judiciary, news, referendums, rule of law by sally

‘Post-Brexit the separation of powers could be said to be all that is holding this nation together. The Executive is in tatters and Parliament has entered a hiatus without an effective opposition. The only element of our constitutional framework which carries on without pause is the judiciary. It’s a moving proposition to think that those who daily work in courts and public services decimated by cuts are the ones who right now form the only fully functioning element of government.’

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Legal Futures, 4th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Brexit: Legal steps seek to ensure Commons vote on Article 50 – BBC News

‘A law firm is taking action to ensure the formal process for the UK leaving the EU is not started without an act of Parliament.’

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BBC News, 4th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What now for human rights in the UK post-Brexit? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted July 5th, 2016 in bills, brexit, constitutional reform, courts, EC law, human rights, news, treaties by sally

‘Theresa May, expected to shortly emerge as the “stop Boris” prime ministerial candidate in this post-referendum world, kept her head down during the Brexit campaign apart from one notable intervention.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th July 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Claimant who only beat part 36 offer because of interest “not entitled to enhanced costs” – Litigation Futures

Posted July 5th, 2016 in civil procedure rules, costs, damages, interest, news, part 36 offers by sally

‘A claimant who only beat his part 36 offer at trial because of the interest on the damages awarded through to judgment is not entitled to enhanced costs, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 4th July 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Pressing the Red Button on Rights – UK Human Rights

Posted July 5th, 2016 in EC law, human rights, news, treaties by sally

‘Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) is the red button for the nuclear option of withdrawal from the EU, and in its design, it was never really, truly envisioned to be pressed. Without testing, and without precedent, we are left with no idea of the potential fallout of pressing that red button. Compared to the quasi-constitutionism of Article 2 TEU evoking the values ‘common to the Member States’ of ‘pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between men and women’; or the brutal legalism of Title VII of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on competition, tax and the approximation of laws; Article 50 TEU is anaemic. It is, essentially, a button triggering a countdown clock, which is on a comparable level of advancement to the 1980s floppy disk.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th July 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Revenge porn: Widening the net? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted July 5th, 2016 in amendments, harassment, internet, legislation, news, pornography, Scotland, victims by sally

‘Little over a year has passed since the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (CJCA 2015) came into force, making it a criminal offence to disclose private sexual material with the intent of causing fear and distress; legislating for the increase in so called ‘revenge porn’. A slow uptake in successful convictions for this offence has prompted the tabling of further amendments which would serve to widen the ambit of revenge porn criminality, to lower the bar for prosecutions and to encourage reporting of these crimes by granting anonymity to victims.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th July 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Fertility regulator wrongfully denied consent for mother’s surrogacy – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 5th, 2016 in appeals, assisted reproduction, consent, news, surrogacy by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled that a 60 year old woman may use her daughter’s frozen eggs to give birth to her own grandchild. Her daughter, referred to as A in the judgment, died of cancer at the age of 28 in 2011. The High Court had dismissed M’s argument that the HFEA had acted unlawfully by refusing to allow the eggs to be exported to a fertility clinic in the United States where an embryo would be created using donor sperm, and implanted in the mother.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 1st July 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Identity fraud up by 57% as thieves target social media – BBC News

Posted July 5th, 2016 in identity fraud, internet, news, reports, statistics by sally

‘The number of victims of identity theft rose by 57% last year, figures from fraud prevention service Cifas suggest.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A radical moment for Britain’s sex workers – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2016 in crime, news, parliament, prostitution, select committees by sally

‘The Commons inquiry into prostitution has recommended legalising brothels and soliciting as quickly as possible. So, what happens now?’

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The Guardian, 4th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gang jailed over ‘colossal’ plot to smuggle £1.6bn of drugs into Britain in fake ambulances – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 5th, 2016 in conspiracy, drug trafficking, gangs, news, sentencing by sally

‘Six men have been jailed for their part in an audacious plot to smuggle £1.6 billion of drugs into Britain using a fleet of fake ambulances.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th July 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man found guilty of murdering sex worker in Leeds – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2016 in immigration, murder, news, prostitution, robbery by sally

‘A 24-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering a sex worker in Leeds before spending the money he stole from her on takeaways, drugs and cigarettes.’

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The Guardian, 4th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Iraq War’s hard lessons – BBC News

Posted July 5th, 2016 in armed forces, Iraq, news, reports, war by sally

‘Sir John Chilcot’s long overdue, and extremely lengthy report, has the unenviable task of drawing a line under the deeply unpopular Iraq War.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Half of police officers facing gross misconduct charges quit force before case heard – The Guardian

‘Half of police officers facing gross misconduct investigations in the past two years resigned or retired before their cases were heard, figures show.’

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The Guardian, 4th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk