UK regulators’ diversity plans for finance industry – OUT-LAW.com

‘Plans by the UK’s two financial regulators to consider non-financial misconduct such as sexual harassment as grounds for regulatory action could pose difficult questions for firms, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th September 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Targets for reduction in sewage outflow not unlawful, says High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The King (on the application of Wildfish Conservation v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency (Defendant) and the Water Services Regulation Authority (Interested Parties) [2023] EWHC 2285 (Admin). In 2022, there were over three hundred thousand incidents of overflow into coastal waters, freshwater rivers and estuaries from sewerage works in the UK, following heavy rainfall. The most common cause of the overflows studied was rainwater entering sewers with insufficient capacity.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th September 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Procurement Bill: Competitive flexible procedure – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 29th, 2023 in bills, local government, news, public procurement by tracey

‘How will the competitive flexible procedure work in practice? Michael Mousdale explains.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Proposed changes to Pre-Action Protocols – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 29th, 2023 in civil procedure rules, local government, news, pre-action conduct by tracey

‘The Civil Justice Council has published its final report on Pre-Action Protocols. Jim Byard summarises the main recommendations and discuss the implications for practitioners.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court stops firm using fees generated by claims joint venture – Legal Futures

Posted September 29th, 2023 in fees, joint ventures, law firms, news by tracey

‘The High Court has ordered a law firm not to use fees from a PPI claims joint venture now the subject of a dispute, despite it warning that this could put it out of business.’

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Legal Futures, 29th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Experts hit out at 20-page limit on reports in intermediate track – Legal Futures

Posted September 29th, 2023 in civil procedure rules, costs, expert witnesses, limitations, news by tracey

‘Expert witnesses have made a last-minute call to scrap the rule in the new intermediate track for civil claims that limits their reports to 20 pages.’

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Legal Futures, 29th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Global bar body publishes list of ‘critical’ challenges – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 29th, 2023 in barristers, legal profession, news by tracey

‘The International Bar Association (IBA) has listed the most pressing challenges facing the profession over the next five years – a first for the global body.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Five more ex Post Office workers have convictions set aside – Criminal Cases Review Commission

‘Five more former sub-postmasters have had convictions set aside after their cases were sent back to court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).’

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Criminal Cases Review Commission, 28th September 2023

Source: ccrc.gov.uk

No rule to stop Tory MP interviewing minister on GB News, says Ofcom boss – The Guardian

‘Ofcom’s chief executive has said there is nothing under current rules to stop GB News using the Conservative MP Lee Anderson to interview the Tory home secretary, Suella Braverman.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Liverpool woman sentenced after boy, 4, attacked by bully XL Published 19 hours ago – BBC News

Posted September 29th, 2023 in children, dogs, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by tracey

‘A woman whose partner’s American bully XL dog attacked a four-year old boy and left him with “catastrophic” injuries has been sentenced.’

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BBC News, 28th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teen sentenced after stabbing Tewkesbury schoolteacher Published 15 hours ago – BBC News

‘A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to 14 months detention after stabbing a teacher in a school corridor.’

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BBC News, 28th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

People born by egg or sperm donor in UK will be able to find out biological origins – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2023 in anonymity, birth, children, families, news by tracey

‘Changes to anonymity law mean people can apply to discover donor’s name, date of birth and address.’

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The Guardian, 19th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

English court reminds construction contract payment provisions to be ‘compliant’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 28th, 2023 in construction industry, contracts, news, time limits by tracey

‘An English court has reminded the construction sector of the importance of complying with the mandatory payment provisions in the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (1996 Act) in payment provisions, in a case in which it found that a contract which requires the submission of VAT invoice to fix the final date for payment is not compliant.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th September 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Sentencing guidelines coming into effect on 1 October 2023 – Sentencing Council

Posted September 28th, 2023 in intimidation, news, perverting the course of justice, sentencing, witnesses by tracey

‘On 1 October 2023, two new guidelines from the Sentencing Council for sentencing offenders convicted of interfering with the administration of justice will come into effect. The guidelines cover two offences: perverting the course of justice contrary to common law; and witness intimidation under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.’

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Sentencing Council, 27th September 2023

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Lessons learnt: Handling a vexatious complaint – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 28th, 2023 in complaints, education, electronic mail, families, news by tracey

‘Victoria Hatton provides a case study on how a school dealt with a vexatious complaint by a parent.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Navigating unadmitted allegations: the cart before the horse – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 28th, 2023 in children, contact orders, domestic violence, evidence, expert witnesses, families, news by tracey

‘Kristine Lidgerwood provides a self-check for a situation which many practitioners will be familiar with and which applies equally to public law and private law proceedings. The unadmitted allegation.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court judge: Counsel’s fees should be subject to guideline rates – Legal Futures

Posted September 28th, 2023 in barristers, fees, news, remuneration, solicitors by tracey

‘It is “difficult to see the justification for treating counsel’s fees differently from solicitors’ fees” when it comes to applying guideline hourly rates (GHR), a High Court judge said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 28th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

DNA tests for court: when to use the most powerful test available? – Family Law

Posted September 28th, 2023 in DNA, family courts, news, paternity by tracey

‘Casey Randall, Head of DNA at AlphaBiolabs, explains what family law professionals need to know about court-approved DNA testing, what the options are, and how its market-leading 45-marker test significantly increases the chance of obtaining a conclusive result in complex relationship testing cases.’

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Family Law, 25th September 2023

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Speech by Rupika Madhura BSB Director of Standards (Interim) at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum on 20 September 2023 – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 28th, 2023 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, speeches by tracey

‘Topic: The role of regulation in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the legal sector – regulatory requirements and priorities, initiatives and next steps, sector responsibilities, and future areas of focus.’

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Bar Standards Board, 26th September 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Tribunal deals pensions blow to judges – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 28th, 2023 in employment tribunals, judiciary, news, pensions by tracey

‘An employment tribunal has ruled in favour of the government in the latest judicial pensions dispute.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 27th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk