Speech by the President of the Family Division: Parents with intellectual impairment in public law proceedings – the need to be alert – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted February 17th, 2023 in disabled persons, families, family courts, learning difficulties, news by tracey

“It is, I suspect, easy for those whose professional lives have started much more recently than mine (which I dare say includes most of this audience!) to assume that we have always understood intellectual impairment as we do now, and that we have always acted in the knowledgeable and sensitive way that we all strive to do. If that is your assumption, then you are, I am afraid, wrong as the following pair of anecdotes may demonstrate.”

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 14th February 2023

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Bar Standards Board sets out its plans to assure competence of barristers – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 17th, 2023 in barristers, continuing professional development, Legal Services Board, news by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its response to the Legal Service Board’s policy statement on ongoing competence. The response includes an action plan which sets out the BSB’s approach to assuring the professional competence of barristers and, in doing so, how it meets the expectations of the LSB’s policy statement.’

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Bar Standards Board, 14th February 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Nicola Bulley – latest: Lancashire police ‘sexist’ for revealing missing dog walker’s alcohol issues – The Independent

Posted February 17th, 2023 in alcohol abuse, disclosure, families, missing persons, news, police, privacy by tracey

‘A former victims’ commissioner has criticised Lancashire Police for being “sexist” after they controversially revealed Nicola Bulley’s alcohol issues.’

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The Independent, 17th February 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Convictions under ‘racist’ gang law to be monitored by CPS for first time – The Independent

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will monitor data on the race of those prosecuted under the joint enterprise laws for the first time following a legal challenge.’

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The Independent, 16th February 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fake doctor who worked in NHS for 20 years found guilty of fraud – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2023 in doctors, forgery, fraud, hospitals, news, psychiatrists by tracey

‘A fraudulent doctor who worked in the NHS for 20 years has been convicted of a “deliberate and wicked deception” after forging a medical degree certificate and practising as a psychiatrist without the necessary qualifications.’

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The Guardian, 15th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exeter Prison ‘needs to be safer to make community safer’ – BBC News

Posted February 17th, 2023 in death in custody, mental health, news, prisons, self-harm, statistics, suicide by tracey

‘A Devon prison has to be safer for inmates to ensure communities are safer, an inspector has said.’

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BBC News, 16th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office accepts court defeat on EU citizens scheme – BBC News

Posted February 17th, 2023 in brexit, citizenship, EC law, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘A High Court judgement that regulations affecting more than 2.5m EU citizens living in the UK are unlawful will not be challenged by the government.’

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BBC News, 16th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Huel adverts banned in UK for claiming shakes could help cut food bills – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2023 in advertising, complaints, food, health, news, standards by sally

‘Huel adverts that claimed its meal replacement shakes could help consumers save money during the cost of living crisis have been banned after the advertising watchdog ruled they were misleading and irresponsible.’

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The Guardian, 15th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Chagos Islands: UK should pay reparations, says Human Rights Watch – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2023 in Chagos Islands, colonies, compensation, human rights, news, United Nations by sally

‘The UK is committing crimes against humanity after removing people from the Chagos Islands, a British territory in the Indian Ocean, a rights group said.’

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BBC News, 16th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ombudsman makes severe maladministration finding against council after family left “with unsafe and rotting windows” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 16th, 2023 in housing, local government, news, ombudsmen, repairs by sally

‘The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s continued repairs failings over 18 months, which left a family in “unsafe conditions”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

BSB leaves door open to reaccreditation of barristers – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2023 in barristers, continuing professional development, news, standards by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said it is open to “revisiting” its position that a reaccreditation scheme to ensure the competence of barristers is unnecessary.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Boy, 15, sentenced to life for ‘senseless’ fatal stabbing of shopper – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2023 in murder, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years for the “utterly senseless” murder of Ian Kirwan, who was stabbed outside a supermarket after confronting a group of teenagers over their behaviour.’

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The Guardian, 15th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ask me anything – Allen & Overy adopts ChatGPT-style legal AI tool – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, law firms, legal services, news by sally

‘Global law firm Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the first law firm to adopt an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant similar to ChatGPT to help speed up the work of more than 3,500 lawyers, which could save the firm millions of pounds.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court agrees to hear ancient common law argument in claim government sewage overflow plan is unlawful – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has agreed to hear two judicial review claims of the government’s plan to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage into bodies of water in England, including one claim which argues a seven hundred-year-old common law right has been ignored.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tory peer wins legal battle against former employee who accused him of ‘victimisation’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 16th, 2023 in audio recordings, employment, evidence, news, striking out, victimisation by sally

‘Employment judge found woman acted dishonestly by destroying a phone which contained a covert recording of conversation with Lord Ranger.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th February 2023

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Widow left out of husband’s will after 66-year marriage wins half of £1m estate – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2023 in families, news, succession, widows, wills by sally

‘A widow whose husband of 66 years excluded her and their four daughters from his will, and left everything to their two sons, has won a high court case for a share of an estate worth more than £1m.’

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The Guardian, 15th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Burnley fake psychiatrist committed wicked deception, judge says – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2023 in forgery, fraud, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘A woman who faked a medical degree certificate to work as a psychiatrist for more than two decades committed a “wicked deception”, a judge has said.’

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BBC News, 15th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Joint enterprise prosecutions to be monitored for racial bias – The Guardian

‘Joint enterprise prosecutions in England and Wales are to be monitored after a legal challenge from campaigners who argued it disproportionately targets black males and young men.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

RBB’s 10 next steps for an anti-racist justice system – Counsel

Posted February 15th, 2023 in bias, diversity, equality, judiciary, legal profession, news, race discrimination, racism by sally

‘In 2022, the Racial Bias and the Bench report found evidence of institutional racism in the justice system and fundamental flaws in the Judicial Diversity Strategy. Change is coming and all judges and lawyers can help revitalise the rule of law by implementing RBB’s 10 anti-racist recommendations, say Keir Monteith KC and Professor Leslie Thomas KC.;

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Counsel, February 2023

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

High court grants hearing on ‘weak’ plan to cut England sewage discharges – The Guardian

‘Campaigners are to make a high court challenge to the government’s plan to reduce raw sewage discharges into rivers and seas in England, arguing it does not go far enough.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com