Cabinet Office ignores court order to release secret fracking report – The Guardian

‘The Cabinet Office has defied a court order to release a secret government report on the UK’s fracking industry. Officials were expected to hand over the report on Monday, days before Britain’s first general election leaders’ debate on the climate crisis, after the information tribunal ruled it was in the public interest to disclose its findings in full.’

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The Guardian, 28th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met Police Ch Supt Simon Ovens facing probe over child abuse clip contact – BBC News

‘A senior Met Police officer is facing an inquiry over his contact with another officer prior to her conviction for possession of an indecent image.’

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BBC News, 29th November 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Neighbour From Hell?” – Church Court Chambers

Posted November 28th, 2019 in disclosure, misrepresentation, news, noise, nuisance, sale of land, trespass by sally

Does your neighbour regularly park across your driveway? Have a dog that howls or barks incessantly? Play drum and bass music into the early hours? Have children that make uncontrolled noise or trespass regularly onto your property? Use power tools at anti-social hours at the weekend? Do you have a neighbour from hell? Have you raised a complaint to your neighbour directly or to others such as the police or the Local Authority? If so, your property may have suffered a Diminution in Value as a result of such anti-social behaviour or harassment. The value of your property depends on good neighbours and maintaining cordial relations.

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Church Court Chambers, November 2019

Source: churchcourtchambers.co.uk

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

Posted November 26th, 2019 in disclosure, environmental protection, freedom of information, news, privilege by sally

‘In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Christopher Badger considers a successful appeal for the disclosure of privileged instructions to Counsel under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the adoption of legislative reforms on sustainable finance and investments by the European Council and Greenpeace claims that the UK will miss environmental targets for 2020 and beyond.’

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Six Pump Court, 19th November 2019

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Secret Commissions: Wood v Commercial First Business – Case Analysis – Forum Chambers

Posted November 20th, 2019 in agency, disclosure, fees, forgery, limitations, loans, mortgages, news, rescission by sally

‘This note is essential reading for mortgage providers, brokers and any practitioners with a practice or interest in civil fraud as the case constitutes perhaps the most detailed review of the law on secret commissions to date. In particular, it addresses the distinction between full secret commissions and so-called half-secret commissions where there is a partial disclosure. It clarifies the law in the area and solidifies the basis for a broker being held liable where a commission is only partially disclosed.’

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Forum Chambers, 12th November 2019

Source: www.forumchambers.com

Angus McCullough QC and Shaheen Rahman QC have tackled the question: ‘Disclosure in Closed Material Proceedings: What Has to Be Revealed?’ – 1 Crown Office Row

Posted November 19th, 2019 in closed material, disclosure, human rights, news by sally

‘Angus McCullough QC and Shaheen Rahman QC consider the approach to “disclosure” in closed material proceedings (CMPs). They address the background and rules of disclosure that govern the interface between open and closed material in CMPs, as they arise in different contexts, and in different courts and tribunals. The impact of fair trial rights (Article 6) under the ECHR, and the effect of EU rights, is analysed and current areas of debate explored.’

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1 Crown Office Row, 18th November 2019

Source: www.1cor.com

Haider v DSM Demolition Ltd [2019] EWHC 2712 (QB) – St John’s Buildings

Posted November 19th, 2019 in accidents, costs, disclosure, insurance, news, personal injuries, road traffic by sally

‘This appeal and cross appeal were about a road traffic accident that the Defendant alleged had been staged. Ultimately, the Defendant succeeded in demonstrating that the Claimant had presented a claim that was fundamentally dishonest, albeit that the Court found that his dishonesty related to quantum rather than liability.’

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St John's Buildings, 5th November 2019

Source: stjohnsbuildings.com

Can You Keep A Half Secret? (Wood v Commercial First) – New Square Chambers

Posted November 19th, 2019 in agency, disclosure, fees, forgery, limitations, loans, mortgages, news, rescission by sally

‘The dispute centred around a mortgage broker receiving both a fee from the borrower and a commission from the lender. Mrs Wood obtained two mortgages and a further advance secured over her two farms from Commercial First Business Limited (“CF”), a provider of unregulated secured loans to commercial borrowers. CF only accepted applications via brokers. UK Mortgage and Financial Services Limited (“UKMFS”) acted as broker for Mrs Wood on all three transactions, receiving commissions of £30,600, £57,092.80 and £5,234.22 respectively. CF entered into securitisation agreements assigning the loans to various assignees prior to entering CVL.’

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New Square Chambers, 5th November 2019

Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk

Lloyds shareholders lose legal fight over HBOS takeover – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2019 in banking, class actions, damages, disclosure, news, shareholders, takeovers by sally

‘Thousands of shareholders in Lloyds Banking Group have lost a multimillion pound legal battle against the bank over its takeover of HBOS at the height of the global financial crisis.’

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The Guardian, 15th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitor and ex-councillor jailed for housing fraud – Legal Futures

Posted November 18th, 2019 in disclosure, fraud, housing, local government, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

‘A solicitor and former East London councillor was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to two counts of housing fraud.’

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Legal Futures, 18th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court recuses “organ grinder” circuit judge – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2019 in bias, delay, disclosure, documents, judges, news, professional conduct, recusal by sally

‘The High Court has ordered the recusal of a circuit judge who used “intemperate language” and told a barrister that he expected to see “the organ grinder” appear at the next hearing of a case.’

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Legal Futures, 13th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Secretary “humiliated” by comments on 50th birthday loses claim against law firm – Legal Futures

‘A legal secretary who claimed she felt humiliated and insulted by a colleague commenting on her 50th birthday has lost her claim for harassment and age discrimination against the law firm.’

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Legal Futures, 8th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Half of rape victims drop out of cases even after suspect is identified – The Guardian

‘Almost half of rape victims are dropping out of investigations, as a growing proportion do not want to pursue a prosecution even when a suspect has been identified, according to a Cabinet Office report leaked to the Guardian.’

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The Guardian, 10th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Anna Wilkinson discusses Failing to disclose credit cards amounts to fundamental dishonesty in credit hire claim – Park Square Barristers

‘The recently decided appeal of Mansur Haider v DSM Demolition Ltd [2019] EWHC 2712 (QB), is an interesting case and will be useful to practitioners who deal with road traffic matters, both on the finding in respect of liability and the finding of fundamental dishonesty.’

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Park Square Barristers, 31st October 2019

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Tribunal orders council to disclose instructions sent to QC over motion for ‘call-in’ of planning applications – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 4th, 2019 in disclosure, freedom of information, news, planning, privilege by sally

‘The First-tier Tribunal has ordered Ryedale District Council to disclose the briefing question it sent to a Queen’s Counsel seeking advice on a motion in which councillors sought for competing retail planning applications to be ‘called in’.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge criticises council for breaching duty of disclosure when making streamlined application for authorisation of deprivation of liberty – Local Government Lawyer

‘A council has been criticised by a Court of Protection judge for breaching the duty of full and frank disclosure when it made an application under the streamlined procedure for authorisation of a deprivation of liberty.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Upper Tribunal orders fresh hearing in dispute over refusal by council to disclose advice of independent person – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 31st, 2019 in complaints, disclosure, freedom of information, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A local resident who complained about the conduct of a councillor at Stratford-on-Avon District Council over a planning matter has secured a fresh hearing over the council’s refusal to disclose advice given by an independent person.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

When “maybe” isn’t good enough: orders for production of journalistic material – Panopticon

Posted October 30th, 2019 in disclosure, evidence, investigatory powers, media, news, police by sally

‘The efforts of the Beeb in the Divisional Court have clarified the conditions to be satisfied before a Court can require journalistic material be produced in criminal cases.’

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Panopticon, 29th October 2019

Source: panopticonblog.com

Addlesee v Dentons Europe LLP [2019] EWCA Civ 1600, 2 October 2019 – Hailsham Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in disclosure, news, privilege, solicitors, third parties by sally

‘Addlesee v Dentons Europe LLP [2019] EWCA Civ 1600 (2 October 2019) provides a ringing endorsement of the rule ‘once privileged, always privileged’. The Court of Appeal held that the defendant solicitors had a duty to uphold the privilege of a former client even though the former client was a company which had been dissolved. The court also held that the solicitors had acted properly in appearing by counsel to argue that the privilege should be upheld, even though the privilege was not the solicitors’ own privilege, and they did not have instructions from the former client. William Flenley QC, leading Adam Kramer, appeared for the successful solicitors.’

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Hailsham Chambers, 7th October 2019

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

In-house lawyer cannot rely on leaked email for discrimination claim – Legal Futures

‘A former senior in-house lawyer at Shell cannot rely on a leaked internal email or an overheard pub conversation in his discrimination claim against the company, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk