Commercial sets back scheme to fund criminal law pupillages – Legal Futures

Posted December 15th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, criminal justice, news, pupillage by tracey

‘Eight commercial chambers have signed up to a Bar Council scheme to fund criminal law pupillages that would otherwise not be available because of the Covid-19 pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 15th December 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law conversion course applications jump by nearly a quarter since pandemic – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2020 in coronavirus, legal education, news, statistics, universities by tracey

‘According to the Central Applications Board (CAB), applications for the GDL increased by 22.5% from 2019 to 2020. Numbers are rising and providers say it’s down to Covid. “We have had a bumper GDL intake this year, which I reckon is our highest intake for years,” says Tony Storey, programme leader at Northumbria University.

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The Guardian, 15th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

LoveHolidays to refund £18m for cancelled holidays – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2020 in coronavirus, holidays, news, regulations, repayment by tracey

‘LoveHolidays, one of the UK’s biggest online travel agents, has been ordered to refund £18m to more than 40,000 customers after their trips were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.’

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BBC News, 15th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coronavirus: Greenwich Council told ‘keep schools open’ – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2020 in coronavirus, local government, London, news, regulations, school children by tracey

‘The government has told a London council it must keep schools open or face legal action.’

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BBC News, 15th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Financial Remedy Update, December 2020 – Family Law Week

‘Sue Brookes Principal Associate, Family Lawyer, Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator for Mills & Reeve LLP considers the important news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during November 2020.’

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Family Law Week, 10th December 2020

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

UK youth jail rebuked for keeping new inmates in solitary for two weeks – The Independent

Posted December 10th, 2020 in children, coronavirus, news, prisons, young offenders by tracey

‘A children’s prison has been criticised by inspectors after they found that new arrivals as young as 15 were being locked in solitary confinement in their rooms for a fortnight and allowed out for just 30 minutes a day because of concerns about coronavirus.’

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The Independent, 9th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Challenge upheld to Covid-19 changes to care regime for children – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 8th, 2020 in adoption, care orders, children, coronavirus, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

‘The issue before the Court of Appeal was whether the Secretary of State for Education had acted unlawfully in failing to consult certain bodies representing children in care, including the Children’s Commissioner for England, before introducing the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (“the Amendment Regulations”) following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th December 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Small claims worst hit so far by Covid as trial delays lengthen – Litigation Futures

Posted December 8th, 2020 in coronavirus, criminal justice, delay, news, small claims by sally

‘Small claims have been disproportionally impacted by Covid-19 in terms of timeliness, official figures have shown.’

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Litigation Futures, 8th December 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

3,000 law firms “could be forced to close or merge” – Legal Futures

Posted December 8th, 2020 in conveyancing, coronavirus, insurance, law firms, legal services, loans, mergers, news by sally

‘As many as 3,000 law firms could be forced to close or merge over the next few years after the conveyancing bubble bursts and the recession really kicks in, a leading law firm consultant has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 8th December 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Remote Witnessing of Wills During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Parklane Plowden

Posted December 7th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, fraud, news, probate, undue influence, wills by sally

‘There has unsurprisingly been an uprise in the number of people making wills since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, though social distancing measures have created problems for people in terms of complying with the witnessing requirements of section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 (“the Wills Act”).’

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Parklane Plowden, 10th November 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Commercial Court urges more use of junior advocates – Litigation Futures

‘The Commercial Court and COMBAR are looking at ways to ensure that junior advocates can get more time on their feet, encouraging solicitors and clients to consider their use on discrete issues.’

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Litigation Futures, 4th December 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Covid-19: ‘Do not resuscitate’ decisions complaints up – BBC News

Posted December 4th, 2020 in bereavement, care homes, complaints, coronavirus, doctors, families, medical treatment, news by sally

‘Doctors may have made “do not resuscitate” decisions on a blanket basis in the first wave of the pandemic, the care watchdog has warned.’

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BBC News, 3rd December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dolan’s latest lockdown defeat – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The appellants challenged Lockdown regulations made in response to the Covid-19 pandemic on 26 March 2020. Their argument was that the regulations imposed sweeping restrictions on civil liberties which were unprecedented and were unlawful on three grounds. First, the Government had no power under the legislation they used to make the regulations, namely the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (“the 1984 Act”). Secondly, they were unlawful under ordinary public law principles (failing to take account of relevant considerations, fettering of discretion); and thirdly they violated a number of the Convention rights which are guaranteed in domestic law under the Human Rights Act 1998 (“HRA”). Although the regulations were amended on several occasions and have since been repealed, the appellants contended that it remained important that the legal issues which arose should be authoritatively determined in the public interest.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd December 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Piers Corbyn guilty of lockdown protest restrictions breach – BBC News

Posted December 3rd, 2020 in coronavirus, demonstrations, news, regulations by tracey

‘Piers Corbyn has been found guilty of breaching coronavirus restrictions at an anti-lockdown gathering.’

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BBC News, 2nd December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Covid-19: Do not resuscitate orders may have been used without consent – BBC News

Posted December 3rd, 2020 in consent, coronavirus, hospitals, medical treatment, news by tracey

‘Doctors may have made decisions about “do not resuscitate orders” without consent in the first wave of the pandemic, the care watchdog has warned. The Care Quality Commission said it saw a jump in complaints about such DNR orders between March and September.’

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BBC News, 3rd December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice press conference December 2020 – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Lord Chief Justice press conference December 2020’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 2nd December 2020

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Criminal barristers ‘will take action’ over Covid operating hours – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The criminal bar has accused the government of breaching the Equality Act 2010 by proposing to roll out extended operating hours in Crown courts without “proper assessment”’.

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Law Society's Gazette, 1st December 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Does the lockdown breach the right to freedom of religion? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 1st, 2020 in coronavirus, human rights, news, regulations by sally

‘[W]hen considering the legality of the lockdown it is relevant that the neither latest iteration of the Coronavirus Regulations, nor the previous version that imposed the earlier lockdown, in any way restrict the Article 9(1) right to hold a belief, or choices made regarding personal behaviour outside the context of places of worship.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th November 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Abuse of older people reaches ‘unprecedented level’ during pandemic – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 30th, 2020 in charities, coronavirus, elderly, news, sexual offences, statistics, victims by sally

‘Abuse of older people is at “unprecedented levels” – with almost 2.7 million victims thought to be affected in the UK, a charity has said.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th November 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fifth of crimes involved domestic abuse in first England and Wales lockdown – The Guardian

Posted November 26th, 2020 in coronavirus, crime, domestic violence, news, statistics by tracey

‘One in five offences recorded by police during and immediately after the first national lockdown in England and Wales involved domestic abuse, figures have revealed.’

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The Guardian, 25th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com