Bar Council Chair Warns Conservative Conference of Consequences of Legal Aid Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, the Chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, will warn of the significant threat posed to access to justice by the Government’s proposed legal aid cuts.”

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The Bar Council, 30th September 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Keynote speech, RICS Dilapidations Conference 2011 – Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in civil procedure rules, dilapidations, expert witnesses, speeches, surveyors by sally

Keynote speech, RICS Dilapidations Conference 2011 (PDF)

Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Judiciary of England and Wales, 30th September 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Directors of an organisation can be liable for discrimination as agents, tribunal finds – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in agency, news, religious discrimination, unfair dismissal by sally

“Directors of an organisation can be guilty of breaching discrimination laws when carrying out acts on behalf of that organisation, the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 30th September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Reports of the Human Rights Act’s death have been greatly exaggerated – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in constitutional law, human rights, news by sally

“The Home Secretary Theresa May’s has told the Sunday Telegraph that she would ‘like to see the Human Rights Act go’.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd October 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Justice minister failed to declare interest in industry he regulates – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in conflict of interest, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

“The justice minister Jonathan Djanogly failed to declare that his children were minority shareholders in his brother-in-law’s businesses – two firms which advertise accident compensation claims and are part of an industry that Djanogly regulates in government, the Guardian can reveal.”

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A picture is worth a thousand words… or two months – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in contempt of court, news, photography, sentencing by sally

“Hot on the heels of announcements regarding the television broadcast of sentencing decisions, technology raises another controversy. This time a teenager, Paul Thomson, was convicted for contempt in Luton Crown Court and given a two month sentence. The offence was taking a photo inside court on his Blackberry mobile phone.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 29th September 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Baroness Shackleton: legal watchdog warns lawyer fees market needs ‘urgent reform’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in consumer protection, fees, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“Exclusive: Lawyers are under pressure to adopt more ‘consumer friendly’ fee structures amid thousands of complaints from clients about inflated billing charges, the legal watchdog has warned. ”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Agency workers’ rights come into force – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in casual workers, EC law, news by sally

“Temporary agency workers will be entitled to the same employment and working conditions as those given to staff when the UK’s new Agency Workers Regulations come into force tomorrow.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 30th September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Ferdinand v MGN – a “Kiss n’ Tell” public interest defence succeeds – Lorna Skinner – UK Human Rights Blog

“In the first ‘misuse of private information’ trial against a newspaper since Max Mosley in 2008, Mr Justice Nicol dismissed a claim brought by England and Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand against the Sunday Mirror.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd October 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Advocacy assurance scheme ‘halted’, declares criminal bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in advocacy, barristers, news, quality assurance by sally

“Plans to introduce the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) have run into serious difficulties, it has emerged. The Criminal Bar Association appears to have withdrawn its engagement with the controversial accreditation scheme amid a dispute about linking payment to accreditation level.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Reform options for media regulation – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in complaints, media, news by sally

“Hugh Tomlinson QC analyses the various options for replacing the Press Complaints Commission.”

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The Guardian, 30th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Banned preacher can seek damages over illegal arrest – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in damages, false imprisonment, immigration, news by sally

“A banned Islamic preacher who entered Britain illegally following a Home Office blunder is entitled to seek damages after being detained unlawfully, a judge has ruled.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman’s plea for more access to disabled sister rejected by judge – The Independent

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in care homes, disabled persons, families, news by sally

“A sister’s long and bitter battle to see more of her severely disabled sibling suffered a devastating blow yesterday when a judge ruled that a local authority-selected nursing home provided the best possible care.”

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The Independent, 1st October 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A formula for justice – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in evidence, news, statistics by sally

“Bayes’ theorem is a mathematical equation used in court cases to analyse statistical evidence. But a judge has ruled it can no longer be used. Will it result in more miscarriages of justice?”

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Home Secretary May ‘wants Human Rights Act scrapped’ – The Independent

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in human rights, news by sally

“Home Secretary Theresa May risked angering Liberal Democrat Cabinet colleagues today by throwing her weight behind calls for the Human Rights Act to be scrapped.”

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The Independent, 2nd October 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Students fear plans to reform law on squatting may outlaw sit-ins – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2011 in demonstrations, news, squatting by sally

“Government proposals to criminalise squatting may also outlaw occupation-style protests and sit-ins, student leaders, trades unionists and lawyers have said.”

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk