Sentencing: ‘Developmental harm’ should be considered in child cruelty cases – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Judges would assess the developmental harm caused to a child when sentencing those convicted of child cruelty under proposals published by the Sentencing Council today.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 13th June 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Child cruelty – consultation launched on sentencing guideline – Sentencing Council

Posted June 14th, 2017 in child cruelty, consultations, sentencing by sally

‘The Sentencing Council has launched a consultation on its proposed guidelines on sentencing child cruelty.’

Full consultation

Sentencing Council, 13th June 2017

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

An unsatisfactory situation – Tanfield Chambers

‘Since the Supreme Court turned the law of dispensation from the consultation requirements upside down in Daejan Investments Ltd v Benson [2013] UKSC 14; [2013] 2 EGLR 45, the Upper Tribunal has been troubled with very few cases involving the requirements to consult leaseholders on major works. However, the decision in Lessees of Foundling Court and O’Donnell Court v Camden London Borough Council and others [2016] UKUT 366 (LC); [2016] EGLR 59 has rewritten preconceptions as to who needs to be consulted and caused landlords some new headaches.’

Full Story

Tanfield Chambers, 12th June 2017

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Bar rolls out shared parental leave scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 30th, 2017 in barristers, consultations, news, parental rights, self-employment by sally

‘Barristers’ chambers will be required to allow self-employed members to take up to a year’s parental leave under a policy approved by the Bar Standards Board yesterday.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 26th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Purdah: Government should obey the law in the run-up to an election – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Last November the judge decided that the UK’s air pollution plans under EU and domestic laws were not good enough. The case has a long, and unedifying back-story of Government not doing what the law says it should do.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 16th May 2017

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Freedom of Information Act document leaks could become criminal – The Guardian

‘Whistleblowers and journalists could be imprisoned for revealing documents that can be obtained through freedom of information requests, campaigners have warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th May 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fixed-cost plans for clinical negligence “will prevent many cases being brought”, CJC warns – Litigation Futures

‘Government plans to impose fixed costs on clinical negligence cases worth up to £25,000 “will prevent many cases being brought”, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) has warned.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 11th May 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

BSB consults on changing the standard of proof used in professional misconduct proceedings for barristers – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today launched a new consultation about the standard of proof applied when barristers and others regulated by the BSB face disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 2nd May 2017

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Blockchain technology will be “game changer” in conveyancing – Legal Futures

‘Blockchain-backed ‘smart contracts’ will be a “game changer” in property transactions, increasing certainty for buyers and sellers as well as speeding up the house-buying process, it has been claimed.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Campaigners to crowd fund judicial review of partial hospital closure – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 27th, 2017 in consultations, costs, hospitals, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

‘A crowdfunding campaign to judicially review a partial hospital closure in Devon has won backing from Honition Town Council’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 26th April 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Doctors’ body urges government to aim high with fixed-fee cap for clinical negligence cases – Litigation Futures

Posted April 25th, 2017 in consultations, costs, doctors, fees, health, negligence, news by sally

‘The Medical Protection Society (MPS) has called on the government to be more “bold” with its proposals to introduced fixed costs for clinical negligence cases by including cases worth up to £250,000 – 10 times the proposed limit.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 25th April 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

SRA attacks “disproportionate and unnecessary” money laundering regulations – Legal Futures

‘New anti-money laundering (AML) regulations planned by the Treasury would impose “disproportionate and unnecessary” burdens on law firms, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Thousands of domestic violence victims withdrawing from legal action after Government cuts, figures reveal – The Independent

‘More than 160,000 victims of domestic violence in England withdrew their support for charges against their abusers in 2016, a number that rocketed by almost 40 per cent compared with the previous 12 months, exclusive figures reveal.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jeremy Lewis on NHS Applicant Whistleblowers: wider implications and mis-steps en route – Littleton Chambers

Posted April 6th, 2017 in consultations, disclosure, employment, health, news, regulations, whistleblowers by sally

‘On 20 March 2017 the Government published draft Regulations with a view to providing whistleblowing protection to applicants for NHS employment [1]. A consultation has been launched. Some two years after the publication of the report by Sir Robert Francis QC into whistleblowing in NHS, Freedom to Speak Up, the draft Regulations aim to implement the recommendation that consideration be given to outlawing discrimination against whistleblowers in recruitment by NHS employers. (Legislation giving power to make these regulations – s.49B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 – has been on the statute book since 6 May 2015).’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 21st March 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

New guideline published on sentence reduction for early plea – Henderson Chambers

Posted April 6th, 2017 in consultations, guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

‘After lengthy consultation last year the Sentencing Council has published its new guideline on the stages and levels of reduction for a guilty plea.’

Full story (PDF)

Henderson Chambers, 23rd March 2017

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Cloisters column: Reforming the Soft Tissue Injury (whiplash) Claims Process – Government consultation and reform in the ‘post-truth’ age? – Cloisters

Posted April 6th, 2017 in compensation, consultations, news, personal injuries, small claims by sally

‘In the 2015 autumn statement the then Chancellor announced proposals for whiplash claims and an increase to the small claims limit in personal injury actions. The Government has now published its Consultation response.’

Full story

Cloisters, 30th March 2017

Source: www.cloisters.com

Former top judge sounds alarm over “flawed and rushed” discount rate consultation – Litigation Futures

Posted April 6th, 2017 in consultations, damages, judges, news, personal injuries by sally

‘A former senior judge has expressed alarm at the way the government is rushing to “neutralise” the impact of the Lord Chancellor’s decision to cut the discount rate to -0.75%, based on what he says is a flawed consultation and without considering the effect on injured people.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 6th April 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Freedom of speech, the Prevent duty and higher education – Law & Religion UK

‘S 43 Education (No. 2) Act 1986 (Freedom of speech in universities, polytechnics and colleges) requires “Every individual and body of persons concerned in the government” of further and higher education institutions to “take such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured” for staff, students and visiting speakers. The institutions must ensure, “so far as is reasonably practicable”, that use of the premises is not denied to anyone on any ground connected with their beliefs, views, policy or objectives. On the other hand, the Prevent duty in s 26 Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 requires specified authorities – including relevant higher education bodies – to have due regard in the exercise of their functions to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.’

Full story

Law & Religion UK, 5th April 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

BSB to launch plans for ‘barrister apprenticeships’ – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is to launch a consultation this summer setting out the rule changes it needs to implement its fiercely contested training reforms, and among them will be a new route to qualification similar to solicitor apprenticeships.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 4th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

FCA considers shake-up of credit card market to help consumers struggling with persistent credit card debt – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 5th, 2017 in banking, consultations, consumer credit, debts, financial regulation, news by sally

‘Credit card companies could be required to take more active measures to help customers struggling with persistent debts, under plans outlined by the UK’s City regulator.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 4th April 2017

Source: www.out-law.com