EVENT: Queen Mary – Human Rights in the UK under Review: A Symposium

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process is a key way the United Nations (UN) examines and seeks to improve the human rights situations of all the 193 states that are members of the UN. In 2017 the United Kingdom will enter its third UPR examination, and much work has been taking place across the country to gather evidence from civil society on the human rights situation here. This symposium is a timely opportunity to discuss the role of international accountability for human rights and the UK’s engagement with the UN’s UPR mechanism. Following contributions from speakers providing insights from academia, civil society and policy-makers, the floor will be opened up for an interactive discussion session. This symposium is hosted by the QMUL Human Rights Collegium and the British Institute of Human Rights, the leading UK charity that have recently coordinated the Joint Civil Society Report to UN’s forthcoming UPR examination of the UK.’

Date: 31st January 2017, 6.00-8.00pm

Location: Room TBA, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

EVENT: UCL – Lunch Hour Lectures – The global reach of EU law

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Given the global reach of EU law, it may be harder for the UK to ‘take back control’ than those who favoured withdrawal from the EU might have supposed. This lecture will explore the techniques that the EU uses to extend the application of its laws to countries outside of the EU.’

Date: 31st January 2017, 1.15-1.55pm

Location: Darwin Lecture Theatre | Darwin Building

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Law Society – Career crossroads? Deciding your next chapter

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘An increasing number of solicitors are looking to reshape their career as the fast pace legal profession experiences unprecedented change. This session will provide a starting point for those solicitors going through career transitions or at a career crossroads. It will address key issues solicitors face when negotiating career transitions; will discuss alternative career options; and will provide valuable tips to assist you to ensure that the next chapter of your career works for you. The session will also be relevant to HR professional within firms and to career advisers.’

Date: 26th January 2017, 5.30-8.30pm

Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

EVENT: King’s College London – MyLondon: Photography, Law & Homelessness in London

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘On Thursday 26 January, the School will be presenting a special introduction to the exhibition with commentary from academics, Cafe Art affiliates and the photographers themselves, discussing homelessness in London and the legal implications of this crisis.’

Date: 26th January 2017, 6.00-8.30pm

Location: SW1.18 Somerset House East Wing, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: UCL – Illegality after Patel v Mirza

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘English law on illegality in private law (for example, illegal contracts) has long been regarded as both difficult and unsatisfactory. In July 2016, the Supreme Court, sitting as a panel of nine, looked at the area again in Patel v Mirza. Here £620,000 had been paid for the defendant to bet on share prices using inside information (thereby committing the crime of insider dealing). The agreement was not carried out because the information was not forthcoming.’

Date: 26th January 2017, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: UCL Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre, Wilkins Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: British Library – Introduction to intellectual property

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘This session will introduce the four areas of intellectual property and help you understand which ones may apply to you and your business. The session provides a basic introduction to patents, trade marks, registered designs and copyright and provides a foundation to our ‘Mini-Masterclass’ series.’

Date: 1.00-4.00pm

Location: Business & IP Centre, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: LSE – The Brexit Debate through Social Media: deliberative discussion, or deliberate dysfunction?

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Using over 35 million Tweets collected in the year before the Brexit referendum, we analyse the debate and campaign through social media to track the framing, the argumentation, and the patterns of communication about the issues and consequences of the vote.’

Date: 25th January 2017, 6.30-8.00pm

Location: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: British Library – Webinar: Introduction to copyright

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The webinar will explain the basics behind copyright, including eligible works, duration of protection, and an introduction to protecting and managing your copyright as well as using the work of others.’

Date: 24th January 2017, 1.00-2.00pm

Location: Online

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: King’s College London – TLI Signature Lecture: Post Brexit: Escape from the Economised Society

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘This lecture will address populism and anti-cosmopolitanism in the post-Brexit era, arguing that a core cause of current malaise is a crisis within economic liberalism. The concept of Neo-liberalism was evolved in the 1930s, not only to defend the liberal market and its constitution, but also to act as a bulwark against the Europe of the dictators. Modern economic liberalism, by contrast, has lost its founding mission and normative outlook. In this setting, the urgent task for a (liberal) political right, but also for a political left, is one of identifying an escape from societas economicus through the refounding of economic liberalism within society, politics and the constitution.’

Date: 24th January 2017, 6.15-7.30pm

Location: SW1.17, Somerset House East Wing, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: King’s College London – Judging in Europe: Do Legal Traditions Matter?

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘EU competition appeals typically involve applications by private businesses to annul decisions made by the European Commission. Moreover, these appeals are first assigned at random to a chamber, with a judge then designated as the rapporteur who will be most closely involved with the case. Using hand-collected original data on the background characteristics of EU judges and on competition judgments by the General Court between 1989 to 2015, we find that the legal origins of judges bear a statistically significant correlation with case outcomes and that the rapporteur plays a crucial role in the decision-making process. In particular, if a rapporteur comes from a country whose administrative law has a strong French influence, the decision is more likely to favor the Commission than if he is from any other EU country. These results are robust to alternative political ideology variables, including left-right politics and a preference for European integration.’

Date: 19th January 2017, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: Edmond J. Safra Lecture Theatre, Strand Campus, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: LSE – Competition and the Regulation of the Legal Services Market

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The Competition and Markets Authority, prompted by concerns raised by interested parties that the legal services sector might not be working as well as it should, launched a study into the legal services market in January 2016 focusing on individual consumers’ and small businesses’ experience of purchasing legal services in England and Wales. In its interim report, the CMA found some important problems in the functioning of the market to the detriment of consumers. The final report, which is due by the 12 January 2017 statutory deadline, will explore in full the hurdles to competition in the legal services market and make proposals for the appropriate remedies as well as recommendations for the regulatory framework of the legal services market. This will be the first public discussion of the report, which is likely to make a significant impact on a market with an annual turnover of £11-12 billion.’

Date: 19th January 2017, 6.30-8.00pm

Location: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: UCL – Has Montgomery Administered the Last Rites to Therapeutic Privilege? A Diagnosis and a Prognosis

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘In broad terms, the defence of therapeutic privilege excuses a medical practitioner from having to make the sort of disclosure about the risks associated with a medical treatment or procedure which the law would otherwise require, because it is reasonably considered that such disclosure would harm the patient’s health or welfare.’

Date: 19th January 2017, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: UCL Pavilion (Main Quad), Gower Street, London WC1H 6BT

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law – Oversight of the Rule of Law in the European Union: Opportunities and Challenges

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘This event will provide the opportunity to hear leading experts consider the challenges and opportunities for rule of law oversight in the EU and the role of various EU institutions, including an analysis of the Commission’s new Rule of Law Framework and the Council’s new Rule of Law Dialogue. In addition, country experts will assess the situation in selected member states, with a particular focus on developments in Hungary and Poland. Speakers will also consider what lies ahead, amid recent calls for a new binding EU mechanism to monitor the state of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights in the member states.’

Date: 16th January 2017, 4.00-7.00pm

Location: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

EVENT: LSE – Documenting Genocide: survey evidence on ISIS violence against Yazidis

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The United Nations Human Rights Council has recently declared that ISIS violence against the Yazidi religious minority constitutes a case of “ongoing genocide”. Dr Valeria Cetorelli will present the first survey evidence on the number and demographic profile of Yazidis killed and enslaved by ISIS.’

Date: 11th January 2017, 6.30-8.00pm

Location: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: University of Greenwich – Rule of Law Talk III – The Rt Hon the Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC: A Politician’s Perspective on the Rule of Law

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, PC, QC is a British barrister who served as the Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland. At the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, she was elected Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations and took office on 1 April 2016 as the first woman to hold the post. She is the current Chancellor of the University of Greenwich.’

Date: 24th January 2017,

Location: Lecture Theatre Queen Anne 080, University of Greenwich, Park Row, London SE10 9LS

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 15th, 2016 in legislation by tracey

The Donations to Charity (Gift Aid Declarations) Regulations 2016

The Companies Act 2006 (Distributions of Insurance Companies) Regulations 2016

The Venture Capital Trust (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The Civil Proceedings Fees (Amendment) Order 2016

The Climate Change Agreements (Administration) (Amendment and Related Provision) Regulations 2016

The Proscribed Organisations (Name Change) Order 2016

The Air Quality Standards (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The Raw Tobacco (Approval Scheme) Regulations 2016

The Value Added Tax (Small Non-Commercial Consignments) Relief (Amendment) Order 2016

The Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 2016

The Nitrate Pollution Prevention (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The NHS Foundation Trusts (Trust Funds: Appointment of Trustees) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2016

The Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016

The Police (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2016

The Energy Act 2016 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2016

The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2016

The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance Amendments) Order 2016

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (Asset-Freezing) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (Commencement No. 15) Order 2016

The Bank Levy (Double Taxation Relief) (Single Resolution Fund Levy) Regulations 2016

The Trial of the Pyx (Amendment) Order 2016

The Antarctic Act 1994 (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Bar chief urges Jackson to mitigate impact of fixed costs push on “value for money” junior Bar – Litigation Futures

Posted December 15th, 2016 in barristers, costs, news, speeches by tracey

‘The incoming chairman of the Bar has called on Lord Justice Jackson to protect the junior Bar from the impact of his review of fixed recoverable costs.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th December 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

CMA final report: demand for better price and service transparency from law firms, and review of legal regulation – Legal Futures

Posted December 15th, 2016 in competition, law firms, legal services, press releases, reports by tracey

‘Regulators need to deliver a “step change in standards of transparency” so that lawyers’ clients can both understand the price and service they will receive, and compare providers, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said today.’

Full story

Full CMA press release

Legal Futures, 15th December 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service and NPCC launch new Honour-Based Violence/Abuse and Forced Marriage Protocol – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The CPS and police have published the first ever joint honour-based violence/abuse and forced marriage protocol today [14 December 2016], outlining their commitment to the successful investigation and prosecution of these crimes. The protocol recognises the importance of strong partnership working between these two agencies.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 14th December 2016

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Deprivation of liberty under scrutiny at Court of Appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Two years after a Supreme Court landmark ruling led to a surge in applications by local authorities for deprivations of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act, the Court of Appeal is to rule on whether a patient in intensive care can be considered to be in state detention.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th December 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk