Tales of the private sector – Nearly Legal

‘A collation of cases and stories from the private sector, and a series of reminders that a database of rogue landlords, and indeed banning orders, can’t come soon enough.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 8th January 2017

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Government forecast on impact of PI reforms “skewed against lawyers”, say economists – Legal Futures

‘The government’s own assessment of the impact of its planned personal injury reforms “makes the implicit assumption that solicitors, and the civil justice system as a whole, produce no benefits to society”, according to independent economists.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 9th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

NHS director Peter Lewis jailed over corrupt hospital contract – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2017 in corruption, fraud, health, news, sentencing by sally

‘An NHS director who received £80,000 in corrupt payments for awarding a hospital IT contract has been jailed.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Terminally ill man who fears becoming ‘entombed’ in his body asks judges to let him die in the first case of its kind in three years – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 9th, 2017 in assisted suicide, human rights, judicial review, news by sally

‘A terminally ill man who fears becoming “entombed” in his body has asked judges to let him die in the first case of its kind in three years.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Theresa May vows to correct ‘burning injustices’ – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2017 in Charity Commission, mental health, news, social services, speeches by sally

‘Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to introduce wide-ranging social reforms to correct what she calls the “burning injustices” in modern society.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Black judge claims he was discriminated against by disciplinary panel – The Guardian

Posted January 9th, 2017 in disciplinary procedures, judges, judiciary, news, race discrimination, racism by sally

‘A disciplinary panel has recommended that a prominent black judge should receive both an apology and “formal advice” – a dressing down – after its members found he committed misconduct in a speech he made referring to a fellow judge and that the matter had not been handled well.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th January 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Future loss of earnings (Ogden vs Smith v Manchester approach), loss of congenial employment, material contribution test: A review of the decision in Kennedy v London Ambulance Service NHS Trust [2016] EWHC 3145 (QB) – Zenith PI Blog

Posted January 6th, 2017 in damages, news, personal injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder by tracey

‘This was a case of carbon monoxide poisoning. Liability was admitted; the matter was listed for an assessment of damages hearing. The interesting part of the decision is yet another example of the need not to focus too rigidly on the Ogden tables (multiplier/multiplicand) approach. It also provides a useful review of the case law concerning the material contribution test.’

Full story

Zenith PI Blog, 6th January 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Junior advocates lose out to QCs in new fees regime – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 6th, 2017 in advocacy, barristers, fees, news, queen's counsel by tracey

‘The Law Society has criticised the Ministry of Justice’s proposals for reforming advocacy fees, warning that junior barristers and solicitor-advocates will lose out while QCs enjoy a pay hike.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th January 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted January 6th, 2017 in law reports by tracey

High Court (Chancery Division)

Bullard v Bullard & Anor [2017] EWHC 3 (Ch) (05 January 2017)

Pennington v De Wan [2017] EWHC 4 (Ch) (05 January 2017)

Source: www.bailii.org

Proposals to reform criminal defence advocates pay published – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 6th, 2017 in advocacy, barristers, fees, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘Plans to introduce a simpler and fairer pay system for defence advocates who work on legal aid-funded criminal cases have been unveiled today by the Ministry of Justice.’

Full press release

ministry of Justice, 5th January 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

City heads to Supreme Court over council tax position where tenant moves out – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 6th, 2017 in appeals, council tax, landlord & tenant, local government, news, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Leeds City Council is to seek permission from the Supreme Court to appeal a key ruling over whether landlords are responsible for paying council tax on a property when a tenant has moved out before the tenancy agreement has formally ended.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 5th January 2017

source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New AGFS plan will mean fairer pay for advocates – The Bar Council

Posted January 6th, 2017 in advocacy, barristers, fees, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘The Bar Council and the Young Barristers’ Committee welcome new proposals published today by the Ministry of Justice which will mean barristers and other advocates will be paid fairly for the work they do in publicly funded criminal cases. The new, fairer Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS), if implemented, will mean barristers’ fees are no longer based on outdated and distorting factors such as the number of pages in a case, but instead are paid according to the seriousness and complexity of the work.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 5th January 2017

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Waitress blackmailed policeman after editing video to make it sound like he threatened to rape her – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 6th, 2017 in blackmail, news, sentencing, video recordings, young offenders by tracey

‘A waitress who edited a video to make it sound as though a police officer she met on a dating website was threatening to rape her has been jailed.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph. 5th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police apologise to dead woman’s kin after failure to respond to 999 call – The Guardian

Posted January 6th, 2017 in compensation, complaints, delay, domestic violence, homicide, human rights, news, police by tracey

‘Police chiefs have issued an apology and paid compensation of more than £20,000 to the family of a woman who was a victim of domestic violence and died following a violent attack.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Stalkers facing longer jail terms for torment caused to victims – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2017 in harassment, news, racism, religiously aggravated offences, sentencing, stalking by tracey

‘The maximum sentence for stalking available to courts in England and Wales is to rise from five years to 10.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man who admitted downloading baby rape video is spared jail – The Independent

‘Judge says public will be safer if Daniel Taylor attends treatment programme.’

Full story

The Independent, 5th January 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Forensic science standards ‘at significant risk’ – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2017 in criminal justice, DNA, forensic science, news, police, standards by tracey

‘The quality of forensic science work in England and Wales is putting the integrity of the criminal justice system at risk, an expert has warned. Forensic Science Regulator Gillian Tully said some police forces were not committed to meeting the required standards, and there was a significant risk of DNA contamination.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Beautician jailed for paying stranger £300 to take her speeding points after she revealed ploy on Facebook – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 6th, 2017 in guilty pleas, news, perjury, road traffic offences, sentencing by tracey

‘A beautician was jailed after she paid a stranger to take her speeding points and revealed the ploy on Facebook.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Works and quiet enjoyment – Nearly Legal

Posted January 5th, 2017 in construction industry, covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news, noise, rent by tracey

‘Timothy Taylor Ltd v Mayfair House Corporation & Anor [2016] EWHC 1075 (Ch). It is a commercial property case, but has interesting elements on the way in which building works may be reasonably carried out.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 4th January 2017

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Leading the way on ethics – Counsel

‘Is the Bar still a stand-out example of adherence to high ethical standards? Desiree Artesi discusses the practicalities of professional ethics with Andrew Walker QC.’

Full story

Counsel, January 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk