Monetary remedies in the Tribunal (including interim relief); Maximising the value or minimising the pain – 11 KBW

Posted November 14th, 2011 in compensation, employment tribunals, news, pensions, unfair dismissal by sally

A recession tends to lead to more claims but fewer trials. Employees naturally look for ways to maximise the value of their claims – particularly by reference to causes of action that bust the cap for a ‘vanilla’ unfair dismissal – often (in the case of high value employees) by reference to the whistleblowing legislation. The ‘bar’ for what qualifies for protection as a whistleblowing disclosure is set relatively low, and an employee dismissed from (say) employment in the financial services sector can usually identify something he or she has said in the recent past that can be held out as ‘revealing’ the employer’s true motivation for dismissing and/or as supporting a section 103A claim. On the flip side, recessions may give employers greater scope for ‘Polkey Chance’ arguments – market uncertainty undermines security of employment, and even if the employee has been unfairly dismissed now, who is to say that he or she would still have been in post in a year’s time?

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11 KBW, 10th November 2011

Source: www.11kbw.com

Silks who make the cut at the Supreme Court – The Lawyer

Posted November 14th, 2011 in advocacy, news, queen's counsel, Supreme Court by sally

“Successful Supreme Court silks are a special breed, with the same names dominating the most high-profile cases. Katy Dowell reports.”

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The Lawyer, 14th November 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Rescue me … insolvency issues for employment lawyers – 11 KBW

Posted November 14th, 2011 in employment, insolvency, news, transfer of undertakings by sally

“The policy aim behind the legislation governing insolvency is that of facilitating the so-called ‘rescue culture’ by making insolvent employers more attractive to prospective purchasers. The policy aim behind employment protection legislation is to provide valuable rights for employees. It is unsurprising that, when these two policy aims collide, problems arise.”

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11 KBW, 10th November 2011

Source: www.11kbw.com

Phone hacking: Leveson inquiry into press ethics starts – BBC News

Posted November 14th, 2011 in inquiries, interception, media, news, privacy by sally

“A judge-led inquiry launched after the News of the World phone-hacking scandal is to begin examining press practices.”

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BBC News, 14th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Give women priority for top law jobs, urges judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 14th, 2011 in diversity, equality, judiciary, news, women by sally

“A senior judge has backed what critics regard as positive discrimination in an effort to change the domination of white men at the top of the judiciary.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Scrap metal regulations urged to combat theft – BBC News

Posted November 14th, 2011 in monuments, news, theft by sally

“Tougher regulations on the scrap metal trade are needed to combat ‘soaring’ theft, including that of plaques from war memorials, say town hall chiefs.”

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BBC News, 12th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Compulsory Purchase: Recent Decisions – Falcon Chambers

Posted November 14th, 2011 in compulsory purchase, news by sally

“This paper sets out those recent cases which may be of general assistance to practitioners, covering the period June 2010 – June 2011. The paper seeks to gather together all of the relevant recent judicial pronouncements on matters relating to Compulsory Purchase, and to flag up the most relevant Upper Tribunal (UT) decisions on the subject. The paper does not cover decisions which appear to turn entirely upon their own facts.”

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Falcon Chambers, November 2011

Source: www.falcon-chambers.co.uk

Courts step in to save vulnerable from cuts – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2011 in budgets, community care, disabled persons, judicial review, local government, news by sally

“Two disabled men who faced losing their right to care won a landmark High Court case yesterday over cost cutting by their council. It was the latest in a series of rulings that threatens to disrupt the Government’s attempts to slash local authority spending.”

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The Independent, 12th November 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Press regulation poses a real danger, says Patten – BBC News

Posted November 14th, 2011 in complaints, freedom of expression, media, news by sally

“Statutory regulation of the press would ‘pose a real danger,’ BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has told the Society of Editors conference.”

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BBC News, 13th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

PCC chairman Lord Hunt: the greater challenge is with bloggers – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2011 in complaints, freedom of expression, media, news by sally

“He quotes Wilkes and Thatcher, admits he doesn’t know much about how papers work, and reveals how he will run the PCC.”

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The Guardian, 13th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Torture inquiry: UN’s Juan Mendez calls for openness – BBC News

Posted November 14th, 2011 in detention, inquiries, intelligence services, news, torture by sally

“The inquiry into whether the UK was involved in alleged torture must be open or it would ‘only serve to cover up abuses,’ a UN expert has said.”

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BBC News, 13th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judgment of the Supreme Court in Jones v Kernott [2011] UKSC 53 – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted November 14th, 2011 in cohabitation, mortgages, news by sally

“How should the court approach the determination of the beneficial interests in a property acquired in joint names by an unmarried couple? The Court of Appeal had held the decision of the House of Lords in Stack v Dowden did not allow the court to impute to the parties an intention that they would divide their beneficial interest in their property fairly. The Supreme Court revisited the decision in Stack v Dowden and disagreed with the Court of Appeal: If the presumption of joint beneficial ownership is rebutted, the court can, in the absence of finding any intention as to the shares, impute to the parties an intention that their beneficial interest would be divided in a manner that the court considers fair.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 9th November 2011

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Three-year-old becomes youngest trial witness – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2011 in children, news, witnesses by sally

“A three-year-old boy was given a packet of crisps by a judge after making legal history by becoming what is believed to be the youngest child to give evidence in a British court case.”

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The Independent, 12th November 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Stalking victims claim crime not taken seriously enough – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2011 in harassment, news, victims by sally

“Most victims of stalking who turn to the criminal justice system for protection say it is failing them, a survey reveals.”

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The Guardian, 13th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Muslims Against Crusades banned from midnight – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2011 in demonstrations, Islam, news, proscribed organisations by sally

“Home Secretary Theresa May is banning Muslims Against Crusades, a group planning an anti-Armistice Day protest.”

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BBC News, 10th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Channel Islands VAT loophole to close from April – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 10th, 2011 in news, tax avoidance, VAT by sally

“A tax loophole which allows retailers to avoid VAT charges by bringing low-value goods into the UK via the Channel Islands is to end from 1 April 2012, the Government has announced.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th November 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Cohabitees’ property rights: still as clear as mud – The Guardian

Posted November 10th, 2011 in cohabitation, mortgages, news, precedent, Supreme Court by sally

“The Jones v Kernott judgment does little to resolve the grey area of ex-cohabitees’ entitlements to a share in their former home.”

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The Guardian, 10th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Public school gangster jailed for 30 years – The Independent

Posted November 10th, 2011 in drug abuse, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A former public schoolboy who wanted to be a gangster was jailed for a minimum 30 years for murder today.”

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The Independent, 10th November 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Wandsworth Prison murder: Killers jailed for life – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2011 in murder, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Two men convicted of murdering a man outside a prison in south London have been jailed for life.”

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BBC News, 10th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted November 10th, 2011 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Drake & Anor v Fripp [2011] EWCA Civ 1282 (03 November 2011)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Pykett v Ebony Clement & Anor [2011] EWHC 2925 (QB) (09 November 2011)

High Court (Administrative Court)

VC & Ors, R (on the application of) v Newcastle City Council [2011] EWHC 2673 (Admin) (24 October 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Forensic Telecommunications Services Ltd v West Yorkshire Police & Anor [2011] EWHC 2892 (Ch) (09 November 2011)

High Court (Family Division)

ML & Anor v RW & Anor [2011] EWHC 2455 (Fam) (29 July 2011)

AR v AR [2011] EWHC 2717 (Fam) (11 August 2011)

London Borough of Tower Hamlets v BB & Ors [2011] EWHC 2853 (Fam) (31 August 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org