A fifth of female lawyers choose kids over careers – The Lawyer

Posted February 9th, 2010 in employment, legal profession, maternity leave, news, women by sally

“The pressure of motherhood is the reason that 20 per cent of all female departees decide to leave some of the UK’s top 50 firms.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 8th February 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Iraq war was illegal, says former lord chief justice – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2010 in illegality, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The Guardian once ­described Lord ‘call me Tom’ Bingham as ‘the radical who is leading a new English revolution’. That would not ­necessarily be your impression on meeting the gentlemanly, old-school 76-year-old who, when I arrive at his tall-ceilinged, book-lined, art-filled mansion flat in Notting Hill, west ­London, immediately makes me ­ coffee, served in a silver pot. If this is ­revolution, it will not be instant.”

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The Guardian, 8th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted February 9th, 2010 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Curtis v R [2010] EWCA Crim 123 (09 February 2010)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

O’Beirne v Hudson [2010] EWCA Civ 52 (09 February 2010)

Drew v Whitbread [2010] EWCA Civ 53 (09 February 2010)

B, R (on the application of) v Cornwall Council & Anor [2010] EWCA Civ 55 (09 February 2010)

W (Children), Re [2010] EWCA Civ 57 (09 February 2010)

Eli Lilly & Co v Human Genome Sciences Inc [2010] EWCA Civ 33 (09 February 2010)

D (Children), Re [2010] EWCA Civ 50 (09 February 2010)

Huntley v Simmons [2010] EWCA Civ 54 (09 February 2010)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Baldauf v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 151 (Admin) (19 January 2010)

Nursing and Midwifery Council, R (on the application of) v Akinleye [2010] EWHC 150 (Admin) (19 January 2010)

High Court (Commercial Court)

SOS Corporación Alimentaria, S.A. & Anor v Inerco Trade SA [2010] EWHC 162 (Comm) (08 February 2010)

Source: www.bailii.org

Radical cleric’s home seized to pay legal bills – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2010 in costs, legal aid, news by sally

“Legal aid bosses have seized the house belonging to radical cleric Abu Hamza to pay off his legal bills, it was revealed today.”

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The Independent, 9th February 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Webcam user jailed for inciting US woman to abuse child – BBC News

“A 19-year-old man from the West Midlands has been jailed for four years and eight months for inciting a mother in the US to abuse her own child.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted February 9th, 2010 in legislation by sally

The Representation of the People (Timing of the Canvass) (Northern Ireland) Order 2010

The Financial Assistance Scheme (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2010

The School Budget Shares (Prescribed Purposes) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Business Rate Supplements (Collection and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2010

The Pension Protection Fund and Occupational Pension Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2010

The Legal Services Act 2007 (Levy) Rules 2010

The Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (Notification of Intention to Call Defence Witnesses) (Time Limits) Regulations 2010

The Local Authorities (Alteration of Requisite Calculations) (England) Regulations 2010

The Council Tax Limitation (Maximum Amounts) (England) Order 2010

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Fidler v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Another – Times Law Reports

Posted February 9th, 2010 in law reports by sally

Fidler v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Another

Queen’s Bench Division

“The erection and removal of straw bales, which concealed a new dwelling constructed without planning permission, formed part of the totality of building operations originally contemplated and intended to be carried out by the claimant.”

The Times, 9th February 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Welwyn Hatfield Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Another – Times Law Reports

Posted February 9th, 2010 in news by sally

Welwyn Hatfield Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Another

Court of Appeal

“A local planning authority could not bring enforcement proceedings against the unlawful construction of a dwelling house on a farm in breach of planning permission which was granted for the purpose of erecting a barn.”

The Times, 9th February 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Asset-freezing terror Bill rushed through Commons – BBC News

Posted February 9th, 2010 in bills, freezing injunctions, news, terrorism by sally

“Emergency legislation has been rushed through the House of Commons that will allow the assets of suspected terrorists to be frozen.”

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BBC News, 9th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Better worker rights laws urged to tackle poverty – BBC News

Posted February 9th, 2010 in employment, news by sally

“Laws protecting workers’ rights must be improved to tackle poverty, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.”

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BBC News, 9th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man ‘breached Asbo by dressing as a schoolgirl’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2010 in ASBOs, news by sally

“A man is to stand trial charged with breaching an Asbo which bans him from dressing up as a schoolgirl.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Wealthy landowner jailed for life for murdering estranged wife – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2010 in divorce, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A judge today criticised a wealthy landowner for not revealing where he had hidden the body of his estranged wife after he murdered her.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Spies must seek ministerial green light to pay bribes, Lords rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2010 in bills, bribery, intelligence services, ministers' powers and duties, news, spying by sally

“Spies will have to seek permission from ministers before paying bribes to ‘contacts’, the House of Lords has ruled.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th February 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pitt and Jolie to sue News of the World over ‘split’ story – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2010 in defamation, media, news, privacy by sally

“Claim of separation ‘false as well as intrusive’, say lawyers, as Pitt and Jolie begin action in London high court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Big Question: What is parliamentary privilege, and is it being abused? – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2010 in expenses, news, parliamentary privilege by sally

“Why are we asking this now?

Three Labour MPs, Elliot Morley, David Chaytor, Jim Devine and a Tory peer, Lord Hanningfield, have been charged with false accounting over their expenses claims. They deny the offences and are trying to avoid a criminal trial by invoking the 1689 Bill of Rights which gives force to parliamentary privilege. This is the privilege which stops MPs and peers from being sued for defamation.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th February 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dannii Minogue privacy complaint upheld – BBC News

Posted February 9th, 2010 in media, news, pregnancy, privacy by sally

“The press watchdog has upheld two complaints from X Factor judge Dannii Minogue against the Daily Mirror and Daily Record over invasion of privacy.”

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BBC News, 9th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ali Dizaei sentenced to four years in jail – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2010 in corruption, news, police by sally

“The most senior British police officer ever convicted of corruption offences was starting a four-year prison sentence ­yesterday after a jury found he had tried to frame an innocent man and told a series of lies in an attempt to cover up his abuse of office.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sikh ‘ceremonial daggers’ should be allowed in schools, says judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2010 in news, race discrimination, religious discrimination, school children, Sikhism by sally

“Sikh pupils should be allowed to carry ceremonial daggers, Britain’s first Asian judge has said, following a case in which a 14-year-old was excluded for insisting on bringing his Kirpan blade to school.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar Council to launch legal action against MoJ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 9th, 2010 in costs, criminal justice, fees, judicial review, news by sally

“The Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association are set to take the government to court for the first time in 20 years over what they claim are ‘inadequate and unfair’ consultations on new fees for criminal legal aid work.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 8th February 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk