SRA fines “unfair” and “schizophrenic”, solicitors argue – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) approach to fines has been branded unfair and “schizophrenic” in the wake of hefty penalties handed out to solicitors convicted of drink-driving.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

More synthetic opioids banned to protect communities – Home Office

‘Fifteen additional synthetic opioids are now under the strictest controls to prevent drug related deaths and ensure anyone caught supplying them faces tough penalties.’

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Home Office, 20th March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Small boat pilot jailed after endangering more than 50 lives – Home Office

‘A small boat pilot has been jailed after crossing the Channel with more than 50 migrants in a perilously overcrowded dinghy.’

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Home Office, 21st March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Lady Chief Justice: Kalisher lecture 2024 – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 25th, 2024 in criminal justice, judges, news, rule of law, speeches by tracey

‘This evening, on Tuesday 19 March 2024, Baroness Carr of Walton-On-The-Hill, Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, delivered this year’s Kalisher lecture titled “To Know The Law And Observe It Well – Magna Carta And Criminal Justice”.’

Full lecture

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary , 19th March 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Bar Standards Board publishes 2023 annual report on diversity of its workforce and members – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 25th, 2024 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, statistics by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its annual report, Diversity of the BSB Workforce and Board Members 2023. It follows the publication of the Diversity at the Bar Report 2022, which showed that the Bar continues to become more diverse and more representative of the society that it serves but women and barristers from minoritised ethnic backgrounds remain underrepresented at the most senior levels of the Bar.’

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Bar Standards Board, 20th March 2024

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Party escapes £27,000 costs bill in 14-year-old boundary dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 25th, 2024 in appeals, boundaries, civil procedure rules, costs, damages, news, trespass by tracey

‘One of the parties in a 14-year-long boundary dispute has avoided having to pay £27,000 in costs for an appeal, because the order he was appealing against said nothing about costs.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Luke D’Wit: Fentanyl killer who poisoned millionaire couple and faked will to steal company is jailed – The Independent

Posted March 25th, 2024 in fraud, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing, wills by tracey

‘An IT worker and double murderer who befriended a married couple before poisoning them with fentanyl has been jailed for life.’

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The Independent, 23rd March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Former CPS chief says clampdown on protests risks creating ‘thought crimes’ – The Guardian

‘The former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales has warned against the risk of creating “thought crimes” amid the recent clampdown on protesters and demonisation of demonstrators by politicians.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Avon Cosmetics: a critical analysis – Pensions Barrister

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in amendments, chambers articles, news, trusts by sally

‘Naomi Ling of Outer Temple Chambers has provided a critical analysis of the recent Avon Cosmetics decision.’

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Pensions Barrister, 21st March 2024

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

Woman guilty of murdering son, 3, in Durham after ‘sadistic cruelty’ – The Guardian

‘A woman who subjected her three-year-old son to a campaign of “sadistic cruelty” and punishment for petty wrongs has been found guilty of his murder.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man jailed for at least 34 years for torturing and murdering woman – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing, torture by sally

‘A man who tied up, tortured and murdered a woman before hiding her body underneath a bed has been given a life sentence.’

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BBC News, 20th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of UK women owed pension payout after ombudsman’s Waspi ruling – The Guardian

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in compensation, government departments, news, ombudsmen, pensions by sally

‘Thousands of women, potentially hundreds of thousands, are owed compensation because of government failings related to the way changes to the state pension age were made, a long-awaited official report has said.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prove you will practise here, BSB to tell transferring overseas lawyers – Legal Futures

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in barristers, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board could ask foreign lawyers seeking to be called in England and Wales to prove they intend to practise here, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Asset manager appointed by linked trust corporation held to be conflict of interest – Pensions Barrister

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in conflict of interest, Court of Protection, news, pensions by sally

‘In Irwin Mitchell Trust Corpn v PW [2024] EWCOP 16, a trust corporation, appointed as property and affairs deputy for a protected person under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, appointed an asset management company that was part of same corporate group as the trust corporation to manage the investment of the protected person’s funds. The Court of Protection held that that appointment operated to the financial advantage of the trust corporation, clearly breaching the rules against conflict of interest, and as such required ratification by the court. The court rejected the trust corporation’s arguments that the potential for conflict had been extinguished by the appointment process and that the appointment had already been authorised by an earlier court decision. The court adjourned the issue of ratification pending further evidence as to whether the appointment would be in the best interests of the protected person.’

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Pensions Barrister, 21st March 2024

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

Paul Tapsell considers some reasons parties give for refusing to mediate – Becket Chambers

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in chambers articles, dispute resolution, news by sally

‘A search of the internet for “how successful is mediation?” indicates that “mediation has an average success rate of 70-80%” but my daughter tells me that 86.7% of statistics on the internet are made up so further research is required. The authoritative CEDR 10th Annual Mediation Audit, available at Tenth-CEDR-Mediation-Audit-2023.pdf found that 72% of civil mediations settled on the day and a further 20% settled “shortly after”. There is, therefore, a very good chance that mediation will save the parties the cost, stress and emotional turmoil of litigation.’

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Becket Chambers, 29th February 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Solar Farm planning permission quashed on efficiency and land take – 39 Essex Chambers

‘The High Court has quashed the planning permission and a non-material amendment, for a solar farm at Burnhope, County Durham.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 26th February 2024

Source: www.39essex.com

Rwanda flights: Lords inflict further defeats on government – BBC News

‘The House of Lords has inflicted fresh defeats on the government over its flagship Rwanda bill, meaning further delay to it becoming law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Miller: Who lawyers decide to act for is not a regulatory issue – Legal Futures

‘Who lawyers choose to act for is not a regulatory issue – and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) needs to be clear on this, a leading legal regulatory specialist said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Deprivation of liberty and care providers – how thick is your legal ice? – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in care homes, deprivation of liberty safeguards, elderly, families, news by sally

‘In a recent report, entitled A Hidden Crisis, Age UK has highlighted the extent of the problems with DoLS, setting out the results of qualitative research carried out with care home staff, representatives of local authority DoLS teams, and families of those affected by DoLS.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 19th March 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

UK smoking ban for those born after 2009 starts journey into law – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in bills, children, government departments, health, news, smoking, young persons by sally

‘Rishi Sunak’s plan to ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes is starting its journey into law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk