The iniquity ‘exception’ to Legal Professional Privilege (Al Sadeq v Dechert LLP) – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted March 14th, 2024 in chambers articles, fraud, legal profession, news, privilege by sally

‘Dispute Resolution analysis: All lawyers know the principle and no doubt regularly rely on legal professional privilege (“LLP”) being a corner stone of the English legal system. However, LLP is not apposite to protect against participation (active or passive) in the commission of fraud. This principle has somewhat inelegantly been described as the “iniquity exception”: – inelegant because it is not an exception (strictly speaking) and rather than applying to iniquity it is applicable in all species of fraud, spanning both criminal and civil jurisdictions.’

Full Story

Gatehouse Chambers, 4th February 2024

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

What is the Post Office Horizon bill and why is it controversial? – The Guardian

‘The Post Office (Horizon system) offences bill, published on Wednesday, will quash the convictions of people resulting from the scandal, which involved hundreds being wrongly prosecuted on the basis of a faulty IT system. Here the Guardian explains the thinking behind the bill and why it is controversial.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Post Office scandal victims convictions to be quashed – BBC News

‘A new law will be introduced on Wednesday to clear the names of the hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitor jailed after falling for scam loses appeal against sentence – Legal Futures

Posted March 13th, 2024 in appeals, fraud, imprisonment, law firms, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

‘The former senior partner of a Norfolk law firm, jailed for four years last September for fraud, has failed in his appeal against sentence.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 13th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Test of dishonesty in Ivey applies to deprivation decisions – EIN Blog

Posted March 12th, 2024 in citizenship, cross-examination, evidence, fraud, news by tracey

‘Ullah v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWCA Civ 201 (06 March 2024). In a case raising an elementary issue of procedural fairness, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal of Mr Ullah—a Pakistani national—against the UT’s erroneous decision to dismiss his appeal reversing the FTT’s first instance decision to allow his appeal from the SSHD’s decision to make an order to deprive him of British citizenship.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 12th March 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

SRA warns solicitors over ‘deepfake’ clients and vendor fraud – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned lawyers who rely on video calls to identify clients of the risks posed by “deepfake” technology.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

International agreement to fight fraud secured – Home Office

Posted March 12th, 2024 in crime prevention, enforcement, fraud, international relations, news by tracey

‘The Home Secretary has secured a new agreement with world leaders to tackle fraud.’

Full Story

Home Office, 11th March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Detectorist hid rare coins bought on eBay in field – BBC News

Posted March 12th, 2024 in coinage, fraud, news, treasure by tracey

‘A metal detectorist who pretended he had found medieval silver Crusader coins in a field in Herefordshire has been cleared of fraud by false representation.’

Full Story

BBC News, 11th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lies, damned lies and fakery – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 11th, 2024 in arbitration, banking, foreign jurisdictions, fraud, human rights, judgments, news by tracey

‘Contax Partners inc BVI v Kuwait Finance House and others [2024] EWHC 436 (Comm). Legal news abounds these days with stories of fabricated decisions and authorities generated by ChatGPT and similar AI mechanisms. But there’s nothing like a bit of old-fashioned human plagiarism to tickle the palates, and the full force of a judge’s fury was unleashed on such an attempt recently in the High Court.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 9th March 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Post Office scandal victim feels ‘survivor’s guilt’ after compensation – BBC News

‘Former sub-postmaster Jo Hamilton says she feels “survivor’s guilt” after settling with the Post Office over the Horizon IT scandal for an undisclosed sum.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lim and others v Ong – Wilberforce Chambers

Posted March 6th, 2024 in chambers articles, contempt of court, disclosure, enforcement, fraud, news by sally

‘The Defendant was sentenced yesterday to 22 months immediate imprisonment in respect of a vast array of contempts of court, including dealing and dissipating assets in breach of a worldwide freezing order, providing inaccurate ancillary asset disclosure inflating his true asset position, providing false affidavit evidence seeking to justify dissipation, and 59 breaches of the standard form weekly living allowance.’

Full Story

Wilberforce Chambers, 21st February 2024

Source: www.wilberforce.co.uk

‘Abusive’ conspiracy claim against top firms and lawyers thrown out – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 5th, 2024 in conspiracy, fraud, law firms, news by tracey

‘A litigant in person who alleged a conspiracy between two leading firms and a string of lawyers has had his claims thrown out by the High Court.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 5th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

£70m arbitration award set aside after High Court judge finds agreement is a ‘fabrication’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A High Court judge has set aside a multi-million pound arbitration award and judgment after finding they were “fabrications”. The Honourable Mr Justice Butcher said the result of his decision meant ‘unanswered but serious questions’ were left and would require investigation.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 4th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judge says he was misled by “fabricated” £74m arbitration ruling – Legal Futures

Posted March 1st, 2024 in arbitration, fraud, news, setting aside by sally

‘A High Court judge has set aside an order he made to enforce a £74m arbitration award after discovering that both the arbitration agreement and ruling were fabricated.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 1st March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Insider trading conviction highlights FCA market abuse crackdown – OUT-LAW.com

‘A recent criminal conviction secured by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in a case of insider trading highlights the UK regulator’s intention to proactively crackdown on cases of market abuse – not just with criminal prosecutions but through the enforcement of regulation too, a former senior market regulator has said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 23rd February 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Suffolk couple stole £200K intended for disabled son’s care – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2024 in benefits, carers, children, disabled persons, families, fraud, imprisonment, news, sentencing, theft by tracey

‘A couple claimed more than £200,000 for care for their disabled son, but kept the money to fund their own “extravagant lifestyle”.’

Full Story

BBC News, 25th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government responds to anti-money laundering recommendations – Law Commission

‘The Government has published its response to the Law Commission’s anti-money laundering report. Of the 19 recommendations made, the Government has accepted, or partially accepted, 13 of them.’

Full Story

Law Commission, 15th February 2024

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

Barrister and part-time judge convicted of legal aid fraud – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2024 in barristers, costs, fees, fraud, imprisonment, law firms, legal aid, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

‘A barrister and part-time immigration tribunal judge has become the last of a group of lawyers found guilty of defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 16th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Horizon scandal: Five short-changed postmasters to get full compensation – BBC News

‘A small group of former sub-postmasters whose convictions were overturned have finally been told they will receive full compensation.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK court decision provides clarity on scope of litigation privilege – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 12th, 2024 in appeals, disclosure, documents, fraud, legal profession, news, privilege by tracey

‘A recent Court of Appeal judgment provides useful clarity that non-parties can be entitled to the protection of litigation privilege, an expert has said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th February 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com