Rogue forensic workers feared to have doctored the results of 500 lab tests – throwing hundreds of court cases into doubt – Daily Telegraph

‘Almost 500 criminal investigations are being reviewed after test results at a forensics lab were allegedly tampered with by two “rogue” scientists.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Joseph Bryan: High Heels and Workplace Dress Codes – Is Discrimination Law Working? – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 20th, 2017 in employment, employment tribunals, equality, news, sex discrimination by sally

‘In December 2015 Nicola Thorp, employed by reception agency Portico, turned up for her first day of work as a temporary receptionist at PwC. She was wearing smart flat shoes, but was told that Portico’s policy required women to wear heels between two and four inches high. She was given an ultimatum: go out and buy high heels or go home. Ms Thorp refused to buy a new pair. When she challenged the policy, her manager sent her home without pay.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 30th January 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

EU citizens living in the UK could face legal limbo after Brexit – The Guardian

Posted February 20th, 2017 in brexit, diplomats, documents, EC law, identification, immigration, news, treaties by sally

‘The EU fears millions of its nationals living in the UK will be left stranded in a legal no man’s land after the country leaves the EU because of the weaknesses of the British immigration system, a document obtained by the Observer reveals.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Carl Bridgewater: Police review of evidence ‘coming in March’ – BBC News

Posted February 20th, 2017 in evidence, murder, news, police by sally

‘The findings of a review of evidence in the unsolved 1978 murder of paperboy Carl Bridgewater will be revealed in March, police say.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Campaigners call six-month jail terms for animal abusers ‘laughable’ when fly-tippers get five years – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 20th, 2017 in animal cruelty, bills, charities, news, sentencing by sally

‘Animal cruelty should carry a five year maximum jail sentence, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home says as it complains you get longer for fly-tipping.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Stephen Lawrence killer David Norris to sue government – BBC News

Posted February 20th, 2017 in assault, damages, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons by sally

‘One of the men who murdered Stephen Lawrence is attempting to sue the government after he was attacked in jail while awaiting trial.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal issues new-style short judgment – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 20th, 2017 in appeals, courts, documents, judgments, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has issued a new-style ‘short judgment’ in an immigration case, avoiding the lengthy documents normally issued by courts.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th February 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Home Office agrees to review asylum claims of child refugees in France – The Guardian

Posted February 20th, 2017 in asylum, children, EC law, France, government departments, immigration, news, refugees by sally

‘The Home Office has agreed to review asylum applications from child refugees in France after it emerged that several had returned to the site of the former Calais camp in a renewed effort to make the crossing to the UK.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EVENT: The Inner Temple – The Social Context of the Law Lecture Series: Lecture 1

Posted February 17th, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Two leading experts give their differing views on the constitutional foundations of what we understand Europe to be, including a philosophical and historical perspective. An analysis of human rights from the eighteenth century to present day, identifying rights which have evolved from the English law and which are recognised in the human rights law we see today.

The RT Hon Sir Konrad Shiemann
Former Judge of the European Court of Justice

Professor Sir Roger Scruton FBA FRSL
English philosopher and broadcaster

Moderated by Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, leading international human rights and war crimes barrister and former Gresham Professor of Law.’

Date: 20th February 2017, 5.45pm

Location: Parliament Chamber, Inner Temple

Charge: Free to members; Non-members £10 per ticket

More information can be found here.

Appeal judges quash football stadium permission over failure to give reasons – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 17th, 2017 in local government, news, planning, reasons by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has quashed a council’s grant of planning permission for a new football stadium over the failure of its planning committee to give reasons for its decision.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th February 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Katherine Apps on New Data Protection Case from Court of Appeal – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in data protection, disclosure, employment, employment tribunals, news by sally

‘Following the case of Durant v Financial Services Authority [2004] FSR 573 it became common for an employer to resist providing disclosure to an employee who makes a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 wholly or mainly in order to obtain material which would assist in pursuing litigation.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 16th February 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Newsletter, Winter 2017 – Falcon Chambers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in costs, land registration, leases, mortgages, news, restrictive covenants by sally

Articles include:
Restrictive Covenants and Building Schemes Just Like Buses p.7
Land Registration and the Service of Notices: mind the gap p.10
Forks & Spades; Leases & Licences; Possession & Occupation p.14
Recovering Costs in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) p. 16

Newsletter (PDF)

Falcon Chambers, Winter 2017

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Hyperandrogenism – Podcast – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in gender, news, sport by sally

‘Ahead of the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s upcoming review of its suspension of the IAAF’s regulations on hyperandrogenism, Lydia Banerjee and Grahame Anderson discuss the key issues and dilemmas facing sport and sports lawyers.’

Listen

Littleton Chambers, 10th February 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Strict Interpretation by Court of Appeal of Condition Precedent in Favour of Insured by Court of Appeal – Park Square Barristers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in contracts, insurance, interpretation, news by sally

‘As with many insurance policies, the Respondent’s policy with the Appellant insurance company contained a condition precedent requiring the insured to notify its insurer “as soon as possible after the occurrence of any event likely to give rise to a claim”. The Appellant withdrew indemnity to the Respondent in respect of a claim, contending that such condition precedent had not been met.’

Full story

Park Square Barristers, 23rd January 2017

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Government rebuffs latest calls for no-fault divorce – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 17th, 2017 in divorce, news, parliament by sally

‘Widespread calls to reform divorce laws appear to be falling on deaf ears after the government confirmed it has no current plans to change existing legislation.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th February 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Approaching Deposit Orders After H v Ishmail – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in deposits, employment tribunals, news by sally

‘Deposit orders can be a useful tool for respondents facing unmeritorious claims. This is particularly true for discrimination or whistleblowing claims, which are notoriously difficult to get struck out. A separate deposit order can be made in respect of each allegation in a claim, not just each claim, and this can be useful where the claims make wide-ranging allegations over a long period.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 19th January 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Expert Evidence, Adjournment and Proving Loss: A Practical View from the Bar – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in adjournment, case management, expert witnesses, news by sally

‘There has recently been a run of cases in which courts have at case and costs management conferences (CCMC) refused permission to a party seeking to call an expert. Such refusals may be made on grounds of relevance, proportionality or because the evidence that is sought to be adduced is, on analysis, not expert evidence at all, as held by the judge in Darby Properties Ltd and another v Lloyds Bank plc [2016] EWHC 2494 (Ch).’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 11th January 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Brexit & currency flip-flops in court – New Law Journal

Posted February 17th, 2017 in brexit, costs, EC law, news, referendums by sally

‘Francis Kendall considers the impact of the falling pound on costs awards to European litigants.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 16th February 2017

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

EVENT: The Bar Council – Practical Ethics in Family Law Seminar

Posted February 17th, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The Bar Council’s Ethics Committee and the Family Law Bar Association will be holding an evening training seminar focused on Ethics in Family Law.

The main topics of the seminar include:

Bar Standards Board Handbook: a refresher
Working with the Regulator
How to apply an ethical framework to practical dilemmas in family cases

Confirmed speakers include:
Rachel Langdale QC, 7BR
Deepak Nagpal, 1 King’s Bench Walk

The seminar will by chaired by Ian Bugg,1 Garden Court, Secretary of the Family Law Bar Association.’

Date: 8th March 2017, 5.30-7.15pm

Location: 7 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4BS

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

EVENT: UCL – The Intrinsic Wrong of Privatisation

Posted February 17th, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘What is wrong (if anything) with privatisation? Professor Cordelli argues that both instrumental and non-instrumental arguments (i.e. the motivational, commodification and intrinsically-public goods arguments) proposed by political philosophers against privatisation fail to explain what is ultimately objectionable with this phenomenon. The (intrinsic) wrong of privatisation, Professor Cordelli then suggests, consists in the creation of an institutional arrangement that denies those who are subject to it equal freedom.’

Date: 14th March 2017, 4.00-6.00pm

Location: Council Room, UCL School of Public Policy, 29-30 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9QU

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.