Category: coronavirus

Alex Schymyck: Why the proposed changes to asylum legal aid fees are unlawful – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted June 23rd, 2020 in appeals, coronavirus, legal aid, legal profession, legal representation, news, regulations, remuneration by sally

‘This blog analyses the legality of the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020, which came into force on 8 June 2020 The regulations radically alter the renumeration available to lawyers who represent asylum seekers in appeals from decisions refusing to grant refugee status. They threaten the viability of legal aid provision and 66 MPs, including the Labour leader Keir Starmer, have signed an Early Day Motion seeking to annul the regulations. The immigration Bar has gone on strike and a major law firm has already indicated its intention to challenge the legality of the regulations.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 23rd June 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Energy customers face bailiffs as Ofgem allows debt collecting again – The Guardian

Posted June 23rd, 2020 in coronavirus, debts, energy, news, regulations by sally

‘Gas and electricity customers face the prospect of debt collectors chasing up unpaid bills after the energy industry regulator told suppliers they no longer had to offer unlimited coronavirus payment holidays.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Against natural justice’: father to sue exams regulator over A-level grades system – The Guardian

Posted June 22nd, 2020 in bias, coronavirus, examinations, judicial review, news, race discrimination, school children by sally

‘Fears Ofqual’s Covid-19 method of adjusting marks in line with a school’s prior performance will penalise bright pupils.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Barrow rape claims trial faces long delay due to coronavirus backlog – The Guardian

Posted June 22nd, 2020 in coronavirus, delay, news, perverting the course of justice, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘A 19-year-old woman from Barrow accused of making up allegations of sexual exploitation against five men may not stand trial until August 2021 because of legal delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Military mettle – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 22nd, 2020 in armed forces, coronavirus, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

‘ “Warfare no longer looks like a tank driving over a battlefield,” says the head of Army Legal Services. These days lawyers are on the frontline – in every sense.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Virtual hearings with physical jury hubs hailed a success – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 19th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, juries, news, remote hearings, trials by sally

‘Virtual trials with physical jury hubs could be an effective way of clearing the significant Crown court backlog caused by Covid-19, academics evaluating the latest experiment from a legal thinktank have said.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 19th June 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Domestic abuse charities predict call spike post-lockdown – BBC News

Posted June 19th, 2020 in charities, coronavirus, domestic violence, freedom of movement, news, women by sally

‘Charities supporting victims of domestic abuse have said they expect an increase in people seeking safety as lockdown eases.’

Full Story

BBC News, 19th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BSB defends online exams after students raise discrimination concerns – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 19th, 2020 in barristers, carers, coronavirus, disability discrimination, disabled persons, equality, examinations, internet, legal education, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board has defended its decision to move exams online, saying “there was simply not enough time” to consult widely about the change. Students have claimed the computer-based assessments will discriminate against women, carers and disabled candidates.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 19th June 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

YouTuber jailed for Birmingham hospital bomb threat – BBC News

Posted June 19th, 2020 in coronavirus, explosives, hospitals, imprisonment, internet, malicious communications, news, sentencing by sally

‘A YouTuber who filmed himself phoning a “truly despicable” bomb threat to a hospital dealing with Covid-19 patients has been jailed for 12 weeks.’

Full Story

BBC News, 18th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Councils call for suspension of No Recourse to Public Funds condition – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 18th, 2020 in benefits, coronavirus, immigration, local government, news by sally

‘The Local Government Association has called for the suspension of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) “so that all vulnerable individuals are entitled to receive support during the coronavirus crisis”.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th June 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government facing legal challenge over urgent award of £108m PPE contract – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 18th, 2020 in competition, contracts, coronavirus, judicial review, news, protective equipment, public procurement by sally

‘The Good Law Project will today [15 June] launch judicial review proceedings over the Government’s award of an £108m contract to a pest control company for the supply of PPE.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th June 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Pet theft law change urged as cases go ‘through the roof’ in lockdown – BBC News

Posted June 18th, 2020 in animals, coronavirus, news, theft by sally

‘Campaigners have called on the government to make pet theft a specific offence after instances of the crime “went through the roof” in lockdown.’

Full Story

BBC News, 17th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police in England and Wales six times more likely to fine BAME people in lockdown – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2020 in coronavirus, emergency powers, enforcement, equality, fines, news, police, race discrimination, statistics by sally

‘Police enforcing the coronavirus lockdown in England and Wales were more than six times more likely to issue fines to black, Asian and minority ethnic people than white people, figures show.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Yossi Nehushtan: The 14-Day Quarantine Policy is Illegal – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted June 17th, 2020 in airlines, constitutional law, coronavirus, government departments, illegality, judicial review, news, proportionality, transport by sally

‘Harsh criticism, mainly from politicians and the travel industry has been expressed regarding the new government policy, according to which, and from 8 June, nearly all international arrivals at UK ports must quarantine for 14 days. It is surprising that very little has been said about the clear illegality of this policy, despite a very recent judicial review process that has been brought against the policy by a few airline companies. In this post it is argued that the quarantine policy is irrational, unreasonable and disproportionate – and therefore illegal. A preliminary note about the differences between rationality and reasonableness will be followed by applying rationality, reasonableness and proportionality to our case.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th June 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Football in the time of COVID-19: lessons to be learned from the recent decision in South Shields FC v The FA – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted June 17th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, news, sport by sally

‘A distinguished arbitral panel, chaired by Lord Dyson with Charles Flint QC and Andrew Green QC, recently delivered its award in the case of South Shields Football Club 1888 Limited v The Football Association Limited. The decision, which considered The FA’s powers to bring the 2019/20 football season to an end for Steps 3 to 7 of the NLS, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, is one of the first to examine the scope of regulatory decision-making in the field of sport in the wake of the current global health crisis. Nick De Marco QC discusses the case.’

Full Story

Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 12th June 2020

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Drop juries for less serious crimes in England and Wales, judges say – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2020 in coronavirus, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, juries, news, trials by sally

‘Less serious crimes should be tried in crown courts before a judge without a jury in order to tackle the thousands of cases building up during the pandemic crisis, judges have suggested.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Large chambers “should give space to smaller ones” – Legal Futures

Posted June 17th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, inns of court, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

‘Large chambers should be prepared to look after smaller sets “chased out” by their landlords by sharing premises and clerks, a senior criminal law barrister has said.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Public prosecutor faces legal action over Cummings’ Durham trip – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2020 in attorney general, coronavirus, Crown Prosecution Service, emergency powers, freedom of movement, judicial review, news, political parties by sally

‘A judicial review is being sought over the failure of the director of public prosecutions, Max Hill, to investigate Dominic Cummings for alleged breaches of the coronavirus lockdown rules.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Should I claim or should I wait? – Falcon Chambers

Posted June 16th, 2020 in coronavirus, enfranchisement, leases, mortgages, news, sale of land by sally

‘Since the property market coronavirus restrictions were lifted on 13 May 2020, there has been a reported rush to buy and sell houses and flats. Where property is leasehold, the sale of the lease is often the trigger which leads to a claim being made for either a new lease or the freehold under the Leasehold Reform Acts. The purchaser will always be concerned to see exactly what term is being acquired. A lessee of a flat wishing to buy a new lease must have owned the lease for two years before serving a notice (s. 39(2)(a) of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993). The same ownership period applies to a claim to acquire the freehold of a house (s. 1(1)(b) of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967).’

Full Story

Falcon Chambers, June 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

South Shields Football Club 1888 Limited v The Football Association Limited – Blackstone Chambers

Posted June 16th, 2020 in consultations, contracts, coronavirus, dispute resolution, news, sport, ultra vires by sally

‘A legal challenge to The FA’s decision to end the 2019/20 football season in Steps 3-7 of the English football National League System without promotion or relegation on account of the COVID-19 pandemic has been dismissed. The arbitral panel, chaired by Lord Dyson with Charles Flint QC and Andrew Green QC, rejected the challenge brought by South Shields FC, a club sitting in an automatic promotion position at the point of cessation of the season.’

Full Story

Blackstone Chambers, 11th June 2020

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com