Court quadruples sexual assault solicitor’s suspension – Legal Futures

Posted October 16th, 2018 in assault, disciplinary procedures, news, sexual offences, solicitors by sally

‘The suspension handed out by a disciplinary tribunal to a solicitor found guilty of sexual assault in a high-profile case was too lenient, the High Court has ruled in quadrupling its length.’

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Legal Futures, 16th October 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Environmental Law and the core of legal learning: framing the future of environmental lawyers – OUP Blog

Posted October 16th, 2018 in environmental protection, legal education, news, solicitors, universities by sally

‘Environmental law has not been taught or seen as a ‘core’ legal subject, giving environmental law academics freedom to teach the subject in many different ways. This structural sidelining, however, belies important questions about how teaching environmental law relates to the core of legal learning. We are not suggesting that there is a core of environmental law knowledge that every student should learn (although there is lots to learn), but that it is important to reflect on whether there are core legal concepts, reasoning processes and skills that all environmental lawyers should have. This issue is now particularly pertinent as the Solicitors Regulation Authority in England and Wales is ‘releasing’ the LLB from its conventional structure of core legal subjects, so that existing assumptions about how environmental law relates to the core of (undergraduate) legal learning are up for grabs.’

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OUP Blog, 15th October 2018

Source: blog.oup.com

Man took £2,000 from mother-in-law after lying about cancer for years – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2018 in fraud, married persons, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘A man who conned his wife and her family into believing he had terminal cancer took £2,000 from his mother-in-law before his lie was exposed.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Paddy Power Betfair fined after stolen cash is gambled through its website – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2018 in fines, gambling, money laundering, news by sally

‘Paddy Power Betfair has been fined £2.2m for failing to stop stolen money being gambled through its website and for failing to protect customers showing signs of problem gambling.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Review of UK hate crime law to consider misogyny and ageism – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2018 in equality, hate crime, Law Commission, news by sally

‘Goths, men, women and elderly people could receive protection under hate crime laws after officials announced a wide-ranging review of current legislation.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ointment for a sting: Arcadis Consulting v AMEC – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted October 15th, 2018 in appeals, construction industry, contracting out, contracts, limitations, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has come to the aid of Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd by overturning Coulson J’s judgment in ​Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd v AMEC (BSC) Ltd – a case described by the judge as one “with something of a sting in its tail”. The sting in question was Coulson J’s finding that a contract between Arcadis and AMEC did not incorporate any term that limited Arcadis’ liability. As a result, Arcadis faced a potential loss of £40 million.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 12th October 2018

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Conscience and cake: the final chapter – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Lee v. Ashers Baking Company Ltd. On Wednesday the Supreme Court handed down its much-anticipated judgment in the ‘gay cake’ case. The Court unanimously held that it was not direct discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or political opinion for the owners of a Northern Irish bakery to refuse to bake a cake with the message ‘Support Gay Marriage’ on it, when to do so would have been contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15th October 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Supreme Court rules that hospital receptionist owes a duty of care to a patient — Owain Thomas QC – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously allowed the appeal of Michael Darnley in Darnley v Croydon Health Services NHS Trust [2018] UKSC 50, holding that a hospital receptionist owed a duty of care to a patient at A&E, which was breached by providing him with incorrect information as to how long he was likely to have to wait before being seen or triaged.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th October 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

​Allen v Brethertons LLP (2018)- You’ve got to send a bill of costs to your client, even in fixed costs cases – Zenith PI

Posted October 15th, 2018 in accidents, costs, damages, fees, news, solicitors by sally

‘This is a recent decision of the Senior Courts Costs Office which deals with the need for solicitors to provide their clients with a bill of costs, even in fixed costs case where the solicitors were instructed on the basis of a CFA and where costs were recovered from the other side.’

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Zenith PI, 9th October 2018

Source: zenithpi.wordpress.com

Judge who disparaged one party’s counsel “did not give appearance of bias” – Litigation Futures

‘A judge who was “snide” and disparaging to counsel for one of the parties before her did nonetheless not give the appearance of bias, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 15th October 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Barristers to face new standard of proof in disciplinary cases – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has granted permission for the bar regulator to change the standard of proof applied in disciplinary proceedings, a move which could make it easier for barristers to be sanctioned.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th October 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The Financial Remedies Court: Latest Developments – Family Law Week

Posted October 15th, 2018 in courts, families, financial dispute resolution, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘Matthew Richardson, family barrister at Coram Chambers, provides an update on the progress of the Financial Remedies Court and highlights that rollout dates are soon to be announced.’

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Family Law Week, 14th October 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Number of supervised offenders charged with violent crimes rises 21% – The Guardian

‘The number of offenders charged with serious crimes including murder, manslaughter and rape while they were being monitored in the community has jumped by more than a fifth in a year in England and Wales, the Guardian can reveal.’

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The Guardian, 14th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

End of ‘buying off’ sexual assault victims hailed by campaigners, as gagging orders set to be banned – Daily Telegraph

‘Victims campaigners have welcomed plans to outlaw gagging orders which prevent employees from disclosing sexual abuse at the hands of their bosses. The plans, which will be introduced as part of the domestic abuse bill, will stop companies from drawing up agreements that bar workers from going to the police.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th October 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police spies infiltrated UK leftwing groups for decades – The Guardian

‘Police deployed 24 undercover officers to infiltrate a small leftwing political party over a 37-year period, the Guardian can reveal. The police spies infiltrated the Socialist Workers party (SWP) almost continuously between 1970 and 2007, often with more than one undercover officer embedded within the party.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

HMRC seizes assets from almost 3,000 businesses as government ramps up pressure on late tax payment – The Independent

Posted October 15th, 2018 in assets recovery, debts, HM Revenue & Customs, news, repayment, statistics, taxation by sally

‘HM Revenue and Customs seized assets from 2,833 businesses last year as the government ramps up pressure on firms not paying tax on time. The number of firms facing asset seizures jumped 45 per cent from 2016/17 and has increased more than fourfold since 2014/15.’

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The Independent, 15th October 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Parents ‘weaponising’ domestic violence orders, claims charity – The Guardian

‘The number of non-molestation orders – issued by courts to prevent domestic abuse – has rocketed by 37% over the past five years because they are being exploited to secure legal aid, according to the charity Families Needs Fathers.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Plans to stop house buyers being ‘exploited’ by ripoff leases delayed, almost a year after government promise – The Independent

Posted October 15th, 2018 in consultations, housing, leases, news, rent by sally

‘Flagship plans to stop house buyers being “exploited” by ripoff leases have been delayed, nearly a year after the government vowed to act.’

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The Independent, 14th October 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Supreme Court finds NHS trust liable for misleading info provided by receptionists – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 12th, 2018 in duty of care, hospitals, medical treatment, news by sally

‘An NHS trust was liable for incomplete and misleading information provided by two receptionists in its accident and emergency department, the Supreme Court has ruled, overturning a Court of Appeal majority decision.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th October 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Out of control’: prison watchdog warns of synthetic drug crisis – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2018 in death in custody, drug abuse, news, prisons by sally

‘An epidemic of synthetic drugs in prisons is “completely out of control” and the “new normal”, a prison deaths watchdog has warned, as signs emerge that the impact is spreading to immigration removal centres and bail hostels.’

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The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com