Who gets Silk 2016-17? – Counsel

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in diversity, equality, legal profession, news, queen's counsel by sally

‘David Wurtzel reveals the story behind the statistics in this year’s Silk list and Abigail Bright imparts sage career advice from an expert panel of women QCs.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

COURT OF APPEAL TAKE UNUSUAL Decision to Reverse Trial Judge’s Finding on Liability in Cerebral Palsy Case – Zenith PI Blog

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in appeals, birth, disabled persons, expert witnesses, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal found that the trial judge, Judge Inglis, should have directed himself according to the Supreme Court’s decision in Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board [2015] UKSC 11. However the Court of Appeal didn’t stop there. They went on to find that, had the relevant medical practitioner in this case, followed Montgomery and given the In Claimant’s mother the relevant information; she would have elected to have her baby induced on 27th December which would have avoided the brain injury and consequent disabilities that he now suffers from.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 21st February 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Where in Europe a man and woman can get a civil partnership – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in civil partnerships, foreign jurisdictions, news by sally

‘People in the UK have been wondering where in Europe opposite-sex couples can choose civil partnership over marriage after a British heterosexual couple lost their legal fight to choose civil union.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

David Davies jailed for live-streaming Cardiff court case – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in contempt of court, courts, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

‘A man who filmed and live-streamed a court case in Cardiff has been jailed for 28 days.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bb.co.uk

Man who killed banker with one punch cleared of murder – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in assault, homicide, murder, news by sally

‘A man who killed a banker with a single punch has been cleared of murder.’

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

London borough demands greater powers over “lawless” shisha cafes – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in drug abuse, licensed premises, local government, news, noise, smoking by sally

‘Local authorities must be given more powers to shut down unregulated shisha cafes as loopholes in Government legislation allow venues to reopen “virtually overnight”, Brent Council has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Family of British IS bomber deny £1m compensation payout – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in compensation, news, terrorism by sally

‘The family of a British IS fighter who carried out a suicide attack in Iraq deny he received £1m in compensation after being freed from Guantanamo Bay.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Short Cuts – Stephen Sedley – London Review of Books

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in constitutional history, EC law, news, parliament, royal prerogative, treaties by sally

‘When the government decided to appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court’s ruling that ministers could not lawfully use the royal prerogative to leave the EU, many lawyers, myself included, thought it a hopeless enterprise. A court of three judges – the Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls and Lord Justice Sales (who had been standing counsel to the government when at the bar) – had held on cogently reasoned grounds that the prior authority of an Act of Parliament was required. Nevertheless the Supreme Court sat in full, all 11 members, to hear what even the sober Constitution Unit was calling the case of the century. Well, the appeal failed, and by a decisive margin of eight votes to three. But the margin conceals what was jurisprudentially a closer-run thing than the numbers suggest.’

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London Review of Books, 2nd March 2017

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

Judge in ‘crash for cash case’ dismisses jury and takes case on himself after jurors were offered bribes outside the courtroom – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in bribery, conspiracy, fraud, homicide, judges, juries, news, trials by sally

‘A judge used a rare legal power to dismiss a jury and take the case on himself after jurors said they were offered bribes outside the courtroom.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Courts bill: ‘viewing booths’ to preserve open justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in bills, consultations, courts, criminal justice, criminal procedure, internet, news by sally

‘Interested members of the public will be able to view ‘virtual’ court hearings from purpose-built booths in court buildings, the Prisons and Courts Bill states. The proposal is an attempt to counter threats to open justice by a courts system increasingly operating digitally. Court listings and case results will also be published online, a factsheet published by the Ministry of Justice says.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Helen Bailey murder verdict: Fiance guilty of killing children’s author – The Independent

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in domestic violence, drug abuse, murder, news, perverting the course of justice by sally

‘The partner of bestselling children’s author Helen Bailey has been convicted of drugging and killing her in a long-planned plot to get hold of her £3.3 million estate.’

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The Independent, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Whistleblowers endangered in digital age, says lawyers’ report – The Guardian

‘Whistleblowers need better legal protection because they are far easier to identify in the digital era and successive laws have undermined their status, according to a report by media lawyers.’

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government presses ahead with whiplash reforms – but gives ground on other PI claims – Legal Futures

‘The small claims limit will rise to £5,000 for whiplash cases, but only £2,000 for other personal injury (PI) claims, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced today in a bid “to crack down on the compensation culture epidemic” – less than seven weeks after its consultation closed.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Prisons shakeup to give governors more control over rehabilitation – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in bills, courts, internet, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Prison governors are to be held to account for getting offenders off drugs, into jobs and learning English and maths under new powers to be detailed in the justice secretary’s flagship legislation to tackle the prison crisis.’

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The Guardian, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

First case dropped since forensic science blunders as CPS says it cannot proceed against drug driver following intervention from ‘Mr Loophole’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in Crown Prosecution Service, drug offences, evidence, forensic science, news by sally

‘The first case linked to allegations of a forensic science blunder has been dropped after the CPS said it cannot proceed against a drug driver.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Motorist with 62 penalty points legally allowed to drive – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in disqualification, driving licences, news, recidivists, road traffic offences by sally

‘A driver who clocked up 62 points on his licence is still allowed to drive, the BBC has learned.’

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BBC News, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid shakeup hands lifeline to domestic violence victims – The Guardian

‘Time limits preventing vulnerable victims of domestic violence from obtaining legal aid for court hearings are to be scrapped, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will announce.’

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The Guardian, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EVENT: RSA – Prison Reform at a Crossroads

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The prison reform agenda in the UK has reached a critical stage of development with new legislation expected in the coming months and the expansion of the ‘Reform Prisons’ model which gives governors greater freedoms.

Nils Öberg will join Rachel O’Brien, who has led the RSA’s work on prisons, to share his experience in prisons and probation – the results, challenges and what the reform agenda in the UK can learn from this.’

Date: 8th March 2017, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: Great Room Auditorium, RSA House

Charge: Free, booking required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: University of Westminister – Righting Wrongs: Enforcing Human Rights, Administering International Criminal Justice Conference

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Westminster Law School are pleased to host a conference exploring the connections between human rights and international criminal justice from the perspective of the institutions of international criminal justice, canvassing academic, practitioner and advocacy vantage points. In particular, this conference seeks to untangle the relationship between international human rights law and international criminal law in the investigation, prosecution and judgment of international crimes.

We are delighted to welcome academics, practitioners and civil society participants to Westminster for the conference, including:

Professor Rob Cryer, University of Birmingham,
Rogier Bartels, Legal Officer in Chambers of the International Criminal Court and
Edward Jeremy, Trial Lawyer in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court’

Date: 10th March 2017, 10.00am-5.00pm

Location: Portland Hall, University of Westminster, 4-12 Little Titchfield Street (Westminster Law School, Regent Library)

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: IALS – The Bubble Reputation: Protecting, Inflating, Deflating and Preserving It

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Speaker: James Michael, Senior Associate Research Fellow, IALS; Chair, IALS Information Law and Policy Centre

Chair: Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC

Does, or should, everyone have a right to a reputation, and if so, should that be the reputation that is desired, deserved, or created? If there is a right to a reputation, should it be malleable to the point of infinity, to be extended, amended, or deleted? And is a posthumous reputation the property of the dead, the next of kin, or a larger community? Cases and statutes from various jurisdictions give varying answers, sometimes reflecting national and regional cultural and historical differences, but the contrasts may point the way for international standards.’

Date: 8th March 2017, 6.00-8.00pm

Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR

Charge: Free, booking required

More information can be found here.