Court of Appeal: law firms must comply with data requests even if purpose is to aid litigation – Legal Futures

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in appeals, data protection, disclosure, documents, news, privilege by sally

‘Law firms must comply with data requests even if the purpose for seeking the documents is “assisting in litigation”, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Appeal court rules firm wrong to refuse disclosure of privileged information – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in appeals, data protection, disclosure, news, privilege by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has ordered international firm Taylor Wessing to comply with an application for information it held about parties embarking on litigation despite the firm’s claim that the data was covered by legal professional privilege.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, February 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal professional privilege can protect businesses that fall victim to cyber attacks, say experts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 21st, 2017 in computer crime, computer programs, disclosure, electronic mail, news, privilege by sally

‘Businesses risk the disclosure of damaging IT forensics reports if they fail to take advantage of legal professional privilege in light of a cyber attack.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th February 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Martin Fodder on Whistleblowing: The Importance of Asking the Right Questions – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 20th, 2017 in data protection, disclosure, dismissal, employment tribunals, news, whistleblowers by sally

‘The judgment of the EAT in Eiger Securities LLP v Korshunova [2016] UKEAT 0149_16_0212, 6th December 2016 has attracted a fair amount of comment. It concerned the claims by a broker, Ms Korshunova, that 3 client accounts had been allocated away from her and she had then been dismissed because she had made a protected disclosure as to the impropriety of her manager (Mr Ashton) using her password and terminal. The ET upheld claims of detriment and dismissal for whistleblowing. The EAT (Slade J) remitted the case allowing 3 of the 5 grounds of appeal. ‘

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 23rd January 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Katherine Apps on New Data Protection Case from Court of Appeal – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 17th, 2017 in data protection, disclosure, employment, employment tribunals, news by sally

‘Following the case of Durant v Financial Services Authority [2004] FSR 573 it became common for an employer to resist providing disclosure to an employee who makes a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 wholly or mainly in order to obtain material which would assist in pursuing litigation.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 16th February 2017

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Court of Appeal criticises expert who failed to disclose “close connection” with defendant – Litigation Futures

Posted February 15th, 2017 in disclosure, doctors, evidence, expert witnesses, negligence, news by sally

‘A medical expert who failed to disclose that he had trained the defendant on whose behalf he was giving evidence and that they had “worked together closely for a substantial period” has been criticised by the Court of Appeal’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 14th February 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Knowing where your data is processed in the cloud not central to exercising control over it, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

‘It should not be obligatory for banks in the UK to pre-agree where their data will be processed and stored when contracting with cloud service providers.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 13th February 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Met Police ‘shredded internal documents after inquiry into undercover officers launched’ – The Independent

Posted February 10th, 2017 in complaints, disclosure, evidence, inquiries, news, police, spying by sally

‘The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating accusations a top police unit deleted a mass of files shortly after the announcement of a major probe that was to look into its activities.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sharp v Leeds City Council – WLR Daily

Sharp v Leeds City Council [2017] EWCA Civ 33

‘The claimant alleged that an accident in which she sustained an injury had been caused by the failure of the local authority to maintain a footpath, in breach of its statutory duty. As the damages alleged were less than £25,000 or less, the claim fell within the purview of the Pre-Action Protocol for Low Value Personal Injury (Employer’s Liability and Public Liability) Claims (“EL/PL Protocol”). The claimant commenced the claims process pursuant to the protocol by loading a claim notification form (“CNF”) via the online Portal process, alleging breach of statutory duty under the Highways Act 1980. The claim subsequently ceased to continue within the EL/PL Protocol and thereafter fell within the Pre-action Protocol for Personal Injury Claims (“the Personal Injury Protocol”), the claimant’s CNF being treated as a letter of claim. As the local authority failed to provide the required pre-action disclosure within the prescribed time pursuant to the Personal Injury Protocol, the claimant made a pre-action disclosure application to the County Court under section 52 of the County Courts Act 1984. The district judge awarded her the costs of the pre-action disclosure application, summarily assessing them on the standard basis at £1,250. He treated the fixed costs regime provided by Section IIIA of CPR Pt 45 as inapplicable to the costs of applications under section 52 in respect of claims which had started, but no longer continued, under the EL/PL Protocol. However, on appeal, a different judge concluded that the fixed costs regime did apply, and the costs payable were reduced to £305.’

WLR Daily, February 2017

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Official Secrets Acts reviewed to meet the challenges of the 21st Century – Law Commission

‘The Officials Secret Acts are being independently reviewed to ensure that the law is keeping pace with the challenges of the 21st century.’

Full story

Law Commission, 2nd February 2017

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Fixed Costs Apply in PAD Applications for Claims Which Leave The EL/PL Portal: Sharp v Leeds City Council [2017] EWCA Civ 33 – Zenith PI Blog

‘The Court of Appeal considered a “short but important point of interpretation of the Civil Procedure Rules” concerning the costs of pre-action disclosure (“PAD”) applications in cases which started, but no longer continue, under the EL/PL Protocol.’

Full story

Zenith PI Blog, 2nd February 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Publishing prices: SRA to start with divorce, wills, conveyancing and simple SME work – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is planning to require law firms to publish their fees for services such as divorce, wills or conveyancing, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Law Commission Report: Enforcement of Family Financial Orders – Enforcement or Variation? – Family Law Week

‘Joseph Rainer, barrister, Queen Elizabeth Building, analyses the implications of the Law Commission’s report Enforcement of Family Financial Orders.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 19th January 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

SRA ordered to disclose report into law firm investigation – Legal Futures

‘The Law Society’s freedom of information adjudicator has ordered the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to disclose an investigator’s report, saying the regulator had overlooked “the public interest in transparency as a good in itself”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 5th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Privilege – Closing the Stable Door – Zenith PI Blog

Posted January 4th, 2017 in accounts, disclosure, negligence, news, privilege, solicitors by sally

‘Everyone knows that the privilege of communications between client and lawyer is a fundamental principle of English Common Law. But there has been some uncertainty as to what happens if the privilege is waived for the purpose of some litigation. That, it seems to me, is clearly dealt with by the Court of Appeal in the recent case of Eurasian Natural Resources Corp Ltd v Dechert LLP [2016] 1WLR 5027.’

Full story

Zenith PI blog, 3rd January 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Richard Clayton QC: New Directions for Article 10: Strasbourg Reverses the Supreme Court in Kennedy – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v Charity Commission was striking from many points of view. Mr Kennedy was a journalist frustrated by the way the Commission handled his allegations concerning George Galloway MP’s controversial Iraq charity, the Miriam Appeal. He applied for disclosure of documents under the Freedom of Information Act, arguing that a prohibition from disclosure under s 32 should be interpreted compatibly with Article 10, as required by s 3 of the HRA. However, the Supreme Court declined to follow the recent ECtHR case law, holding that Article 10 did not encompass a right of access to information, deprecating the parties’ failure to rely upon the common law right to information and disagreeing over the question of whether proportionality should replace Wednesbury unreasonableness: see my previous post on this here.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 13th December 2016

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

FCA seeks reforms in 2017 to some crowdfunding rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 12th, 2016 in disclosure, financial regulation, loans, news by sally

‘The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will seek to address potential investor detriment by outlining proposed reforms to crowdfunding rules in the early part of 2017, the regulator has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th December 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Finance and Divorce Update, December 2016 – Family Law Week

‘Sue Brookes, Senior Associate for Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during November 2016.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 3rd December 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Not so great at defence – MoD loses case after disclosure failure – Litigation Futures

Posted November 28th, 2016 in armed forces, disclosure, news, personal injuries, striking out by sally

‘The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has had its defence to a multi-million pound personal injury claim struck out by the High Court for failing to comply with an unless order over its disclosure obligations.’

Full story

Litigation Futures,25th November 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

UK government right to refuse release of secret documents – high court – The Guardian

Posted November 24th, 2016 in closed material, disclosure, documents, intelligence services, news, poisoning by sally

‘The government can keep secret “super-sensitive” documents from Britain’s spy agencies that might shed light on the mystery death of a fugitive Russian, the high court has ruled.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk