Ellie Mitten and Sophie Phillips discuss whether schools and universities are offering ‘reasonable’ alternatives and the meaning of the recent guidance. – Park Square Barristers

‘As the lockdown has progressed, it has become evident that the remote learning services being offered are of differing standards between institutions, with some offering services which are far superior to others. This is particularly so in the case of independent schools. Some independent schools are effectively offering pupils a full timetable, with plenty of contact time with teachers and opportunities to review work and consolidate learning. In contrast, other schools are offering little to no contact time with teachers – disseminating worksheets or PowerPoint presentations, but expecting parents to supervise and effectively teach topics, or for the child to be able to learn independently.’

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Park Square Barristers, 4th June 2020

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Safe workplaces and the commute to work – how far does section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 go? – Six Pump Court

‘On 11 May 2020, the Government published practical Guidance[1] in a bid to encourage workplaces to be made as safe as possible for returning employees during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst the Guidance has been developed in consultation with unions and industry bodies, there still exists the very real possibility that employees do not have sufficient confidence that their workplaces are, in fact, ‘Covid-19 secure’ and consider that by returning, they have been subjected to a detriment by their employer.’

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Six Pump Court, 9th June 2020

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

COVID-19 Topics: The Basics of Individual Insolvency – Thomas More Chambers

Posted June 12th, 2020 in bankruptcy, chambers articles, coronavirus, debts, insolvency, news by sally

‘Beyond the medical and physical toll that Covid-19 is taking on sufferers and their families, the economic crisis with lockdown is also expected to lead to a surge in corporate and individual insolvencies. Individuals in particular are likely to be unfamiliar with their options when facing insolvency and with the procedures that aim to balance the twin goals of granting individuals relief from their debt whilst fairly distributing the individual’s assets to creditors.’

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Thomas More Chambers, 29th May 2020

Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: more holiday cancellations? – Littleton Chambers

Posted June 12th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, employment, holiday pay, holidays, news by sally

‘David Reade QC and Daniel Northall provide their fourth update on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and examine the relationship between furlough and annual leave.’

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Littleton Chambers, 5th June 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

Special Dispensations: coronavirus puts informal wills back on the agenda – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted June 12th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, news, probate, wills by sally

‘The exigencies of the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to a high demand for will writing services, and the challenges of meeting that demand whilst observing social distancing, have brought the issue of will reform into sharp focus. At a time when technology provides a solution to so many of the problems that we currently face, the insistence on wet ink and the physical presence of witnesses for the making of a valid will appears increasingly archaic. Citing the dignity and peace of mind that putting one’s affairs in order brings and the urgent need people have to make provision for those they may leave behind, Gina Miller and Baroness Helena Kennedy QC have this month called on the government to extend the provisions relating to privileged (wartime) wills to the current situation so as to allow purely oral testamentary statements to be admitted to probate.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 3rd June 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Does the Buck Stop? Legal Liability for Death from Covid-19 – Garden Court Chambers

‘“If the government were an employee of mine I would have sacked them for gross negligence” – so said Anita Astley, manager of Wren Hall nursing home in Nottinghamshire, where 10 residents died from Covid-19 and 48 carers caught the virus in a three week period[1]. Ms Astley’s complaint poses in stark terms a question which has been circulating since the full and devastating extent of the consequences of the pandemic have become clear: what, if any, legal liability does the state have for deaths caused by Covid-19?’

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Garden Court Chambers, 9th June 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Capacity, DOLS and Covid-19- Updated Guidance – Doughty Street Chambers

‘The Government has provided additional guidance on looking after those who may lack capacity in the pandemic.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 11th June 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Protesting During a Pandemic: What Are Your Rights? – 3PB

‘The general rule is that everyone has the right to associate with others and to gather together for a common purpose. Article 11 of the ECHR safeguards our right to peaceful assembly and is one of the foundations of a democratic society. This means that the State cannot interfere with your right to join a peaceful assembly and protest, even if the protest is against the State itself, or simply because the protest might cause inconvenience or lead to heated debate and tension. Article 11 does not safeguard intentionally violent protests; the State can interfere where a protest turns violent.’

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3PB, 4th June 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Guidance from the High Court on adjournments in care proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic (A Local Authority v Mother and Ors) – 1 GC: Family Law

‘Liz Andrews, barrister at 1|GC Family Law reviews the judgment in A Local Authority v The Mother and others where Williams J was required to determine, in light of the guidance of the President of the Family Division alongside the recent decisions concerning adjournments during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, whether a fact-finding hearing taking place within long-running care proceedings was to continue following the conclusion of expert evidence and, if so, in what form, or whether the hearing should be adjourned to allow the lay parties to give evidence in person.’

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1 GC: Family Law, 5th June 2020

Source: 1gc.com

Court of Appeal considers the cardinal points for remote hearings during the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic (Re A (children) and Re B (Children)) – 1 GC: Family Law

‘On consecutive days, the Court of Appeal, which included the President of the Family Division, considered two decisions of the lower courts to conduct remote hearings, Re A in relation to a final hearing as to care and placement orders and Re B regarding an interim care order with a plan for removal. Matthew Fletcher, barrister at 1|GC Family Law, compares and contrasts the two decisions and analyses whether common threads emerge that could assist practitioners in advising clients and making submissions to the court as to whether a case is suitable for a remote hearing.’

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1 GC: Family Law, 4th June 2020

Source: 1gc.com

Coronavirus: Police fines for lockdown breaches fall as measures ease – BBC News

Posted June 12th, 2020 in coronavirus, emergency powers, enforcement, fines, news, police, statistics by sally

‘More than 17,000 fines for alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown laws have been issued in England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 11th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Frustrated by COVID-19? Tell that to your contract – No. 5 Chambers

Posted June 11th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘The law of frustration has reared its head at some memorable moments in British history: King Edward VII’s cancelled coronation; the First World War; the Second World War; and Brexit. Will the COVID-19 pandemic join this list?’

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No. 5 Chambers, 3rd June 2020

Source: www.no5.com

COVID-19 and the Right to Protest – St John’s Buildings

‘Criminal barrister Rebecca Penfold has co-authored an article with Aparna Rao of 5 Paper Buildings about Covid-19 and the right to protest. It asks what rights do individual citizens have to protest, whilst subject to lockdown restrictions in England?’

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St John's Buildings, 3rd June 2020

Source: stjohnsbuildings.com

Insolvency in the English Football League: impact on players and staff – Littleton Chambers

Posted June 11th, 2020 in contract of employment, coronavirus, debts, insolvency, news, remuneration, sport by sally

‘In relation to the EFL, there have been dire warnings that in the absence of a substantially increased contribution from the Premier League, up to 60 clubs could go out of business.’

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Littleton Chambers, 2nd June 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

Giving evidence is not ‘work’ for furloughed employee – Litigation Futures

Posted June 11th, 2020 in adjournment, coronavirus, employment, news, witnesses by sally

‘Giving evidence at court is not “work” for an employee and so being on furlough is not a reason for their employer to seek to vacate a hearing, the designated civil judge in Nottingham has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 11th June 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Absence of shielding QC “does not make in-person hearing unfair” – Legal Futures

‘A QC’s inability to attend court in person because she is shielding, unlike the other counsel in a case, will not make the hearing unfair, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 10th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Director of Public Prosecutions threatened with legal action over failure to investigate Dominic Cummings – The Guardian

‘The director of public prosecutions, Max Hill, is being threatened with legal action over the failure to investigate Dominic Cummings for alleged breaches of the lockdown rules.’

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The Guardian, 10th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Latest on the Lockdown Challenge in the UK courts – UK Human Rights Blog

‘On 26 May, judicial review proceedings were launched in the High Court which not only challenged the lawfulness of the Lockdown Regulations as having been made “ultra vires” under the 1984 Public Health Act, but also claimed that they are disproportionate to the threat posed by Covid-19. Philip Havers QC of 1 Crown Office Row is acting for the claimant.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 9th June 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Clin neg trial could be held remotely “as last resort” – Litigation Futures

Posted June 11th, 2020 in case management, coronavirus, hospitals, negligence, news, remote hearings by sally

‘A clinical negligence hearing is set to begin in person in the High Court today, although the judge ruled last week that it could be conducted remotely if there was no other option.’

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Litigation Futures, 8th June 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Business Immigration: Coronavirus and the Concession for Entrepreneurs – Garden Court Chambers

Posted June 10th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, employment, immigration, interpretation, news by sally

‘The Entrepreneur route has always provided more than its fair share of interpretative challenges to business people and their lawyers alike. And it looks like the Covid-19 concession announced for those still in the route (it was replaced for new applicants by the Innovator option in Spring 2019) is no different.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 5th June 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk