Guidance on libel for the social media age – Law Society’s Gazette

‘”He tried to strangle me” – hardly innocuous words. But when Nicola Stocker posted them on Facebook in 2012 she could not have known it was the start of a 76-month libel dispute over two simple questions – questions that would reach the Supreme Court as Stocker v Stocker [2019] UKSC 17.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 20th May 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

No more reasonable doubt in suicide inquests – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 22nd, 2019 in appeals, codes of practice, inquests, news, proof, suicide, unlawful killing by sally

‘In R (Maughan) v Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire v The Chief Coroner for England Wales [2019] EWCA Civ 809, the Court of Appeal conclusively held that the standard for proof for both short form and narrative conclusions concerning suicide was the civil balance of probabilities test, rather than the criminal beyond reasonable doubt.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 20th May 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Principles for lawyers dealing with offshore structures published – Legal Futures

‘International standards for lawyers advising on offshore commercial structures have been put forward at the same time as parliamentarians called for stronger laws on foreign ownership of UK property.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 20th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Green light for new regime on when to report rule breaches – Legal Futures

‘New requirements for reporting rule breaches to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been approved by the Legal Services Board (LSB).’

Full Story

Legal Futues, 21st May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Build UK’s recommendation on contract terms: a step in the right direction – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted May 20th, 2019 in codes of practice, construction industry, contracts, news, standards by tracey

‘Build UK, a leading representative organisation for the construction industry, has published a non-binding recommendation on which contract terms its members should (as a minimum) refrain from using. The recommendation “seeks to form a new common ground between clients and the supply chain on contractual practice in the construction sector” with the key objectives being “to promote collaboration, encourage a fairer allocation of risk through the supply chain, and deliver better project outcomes”. In this blog I look at each of Build UK’s recommendations and consider whether they represent a departure from current market practice, or a consolidation of the examples of best practice that we are already seeing clients and contractors adopting in the current market.’

Full Story

Practical Law: Construction Blog, 15th May 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Phone and broadband firms to be forced to tell customers if they could be on cheaper deals under new Ofcom rules – Daily Telegraph

‘Broadband, TV, mobile and home phone companies will have to tell customers when their contract is coming to an end and show them the best deals available under new rules unveiled by Ofcom.

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 15th May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Promoting cyber security for Internet of Things devices – Technology Law Update

‘The roll-out of 5G networks is ramping up with limited services available in parts of the US and South Korea. 2019 will see the launch of 5G in selected cities across the UK. This new, much faster, mobile connectivity will support a proliferation of internet-enabled devices. With expected benefits in terms of reduced latency and much greater capacity, many expect to see a proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices as 5G becomes a reality.’

Full Story

Technology Law Update, 10th May 2019

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Written pupillage agreements to reduce “inappropriate behaviour” – Legal Futures

‘Making written pupillage agreements compulsory could reduce the risk of pupil barristers being subjected to “inappropriate behaviour”, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said.
It signalled the move in an informal consultation that also proposes to make it compulsory for chambers and other training providers to bring their pupillage recruitment timetables into line with the Pupillage Gateway.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Aid sector action to tackle abuse ‘completely unsatisfactory’, say MPs – The Guardian

‘Private aid companies and charities will be asked to reappear before MPs, after evidence given on tackling sexual abuse was condemned as “completely unsatisfactory”. Stephen Twigg, chair of the international development committee (IDC), said he intended to invite representatives of both groups back.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Church rejects report which says clergy should be allowed to go to police with sex abuse confessions – Daily Telegraph

‘The Church of England is ignoring abuse victims, survivors claim, after it rejected a report saying that clergy should report sex abuse confessions to police.’

Full Church of England report

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Law firms “willing to draw up NDAs” that breach SRA guidance – Legal Futures

‘Law firms are willing to draw up non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that clearly breach Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) guidance, according to the woman whose own NDA threw the spotlight on the issue.’

Full Story

Legla Futures, 2nd May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Parish councils win High Court challenge over abolition after borough misinterpreted guidance – Local Government Lawyer

‘Slough Borough Council misinterpreted government guidance and so an order providing for the abolition of two parish councils in its area must be quashed, a High Court judge has ruled.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 23rd April 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Firms “putting profit ahead of lawyers’ mental health” – Legal Futures

Posted April 24th, 2019 in codes of practice, duty of care, law firms, mental health, news, solicitors by sally

‘The cultures of some law firms and other legal workplaces mean that well-being is “often not a concern” while they chase increased profits, researchers have found.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ethical impacts from AI “unimaginable”, says EU think tank – Legal Futures

‘Artificial intelligence (AI) software poses risks to society including tracking and identifying individuals, ‘scoring’ people without their knowledge, and powering lethal autonomous weapons systems, an influential EU group has warned.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 11th April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal unable to impose new Code agreement over occupied site – OUT-LAW.com

‘The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has no jurisdiction to impose rights under the Electronic Communications Code (‘the Code’) in favour of an operator of telecommunications equipment, where a third party is currently occupying the land, it has concluded.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th April 2019

Source: www.out-law.com

Tesco Law at last? SRA rules could herald “new breed of MDP” – Legal Futures

‘The new rulebook for solicitors may lead to a “new breed” of multi-disciplinary practices (MDPs) emerging that integrate legal services with a very wide range of services for individuals, one of its architects has predicted.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 3rd April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Discriminatory instruction barrister: Fault is system’s not solicitor’s – Legal Futures

‘The Asian woman barrister who was disinstructed after her client wanted a white man to represent her has said she does not blame the solicitor involved.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 2nd April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New edition of BSB Handbook introduces new Bar qualification rules – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 2nd, 2019 in barristers, codes of practice, legal education, licensing, press releases by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a new edition of its Handbook which sees new Bar qualification rules come into force.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 1st April 2019

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Police officer who shot unarmed black youth worker was ‘following procedure’, watchdog finds – The Independent

Posted April 2nd, 2019 in codes of practice, news, ombudsmen, police, racism, weapons by tracey

‘A police officer who shot an unarmed black man on his way to the shops was “following procedure”, a watchdog has found.’

Full Story

The Independent, 1st April 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court hears test case on ability of parents to make decisions for children over 18 with learning disabilities – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Protection will this week hear a test case brought by the parents of three young people with learning disabilities over the position under current law which prevents them being able to make best interests decisions on behalf of their children as they are now over 18.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk