Loss of capacity does not terminate solicitor’s retainer, High Court rules – Litigation Futures

Posted February 7th, 2014 in contracts, fees, news, solicitors by sally

‘A client’s loss of mental capacity in the course of proceedings does not automatically terminate their solicitor’s retainer, the High Court ruled yesterday.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 6th February 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court quashes “irrational” LeO decision against barrister but upholds record SDT fine – Legal Futures

‘A High Court judge has overturned a Legal Ombudsman (LeO) decision that a barrister had not earned his fee, but separately upheld a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) decision to hand out a record fine.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 7th February 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Unfair advantage” under the Trade Marks Directive – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted February 7th, 2014 in consumer protection, news, trade marks by sally

‘Readers over the age of 24 do not fall into Jack Wills’ core target market, and may therefore be unfamiliar with the clothing brand’s “Mr Wills” pheasant logo. On the other hand, those readers who are Jack Wills devotees may want to check when you get home that you have not got confused and accidentally purchased, for about the same price, a House of Fraser product adorned with this equally delightful but nonetheless different bird. If you did get confused, it is perfectly understandable. After all, they’re both silhouettes of birds “equipped with accessories associated with an English gentleman”, as Mr Justice Arnold explained last week in Jack Wills Ltd v House of Fraser (Stores) Ltd [2014] EWHC 110 (Ch).’

Full story

Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 4th February 2014

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Barrister who intentionally misled client over appeal to be disbarred – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 7th, 2014 in appeals, barristers, disciplinary procedures, drafting, news, professional conduct by sally

‘A public disciplinary tribunal has this week ordered the disbarment of a barrister for intentionally misleading his client by drafting false grounds of appeal – despite knowing there were none.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 5th February 2014

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

‘War crimes’ defence against Israel company protest convictions fails in Supreme Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 7th, 2014 in defences, demonstrations, news, public order, trespass by sally

‘Richardson v Director of Public Prosecutions [2014] UKSC 8. The tactics of protesters engaging in demonstrations, or acts of civil disobedience, frequently raise interesting questions of law. A demonstration by two activists opposed to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories, who entered a shop in Covent Garden which sold produce from the Dead Sea, produced on an Israeli settlement, recently resulted in the Supreme Court addressing two such questions.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 7th February 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ben Jaffey and Tom Hickman: Loading the Dice in Judicial Review: The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill 2014 – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted February 7th, 2014 in bills, criminal justice, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

‘Public lawyers across the country are anxiously scrutinising yesterday’s response by the Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling, to the Judicial Review consultation and the associated Criminal Justice and Courts Bill. They are seeking to ascertain the extent to which access to judicial review will be restricted and, in the case of many firms with legal aid contracts in public law, to see if whether their business will remain financially viable at all.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Group, 6th February 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Supreme Court allows removal of incorrectly-registered land from village greens register despite delays – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 7th, 2014 in commons, delay, land registration, news, rectification by sally

‘The Supreme Court has allowed the removal of two pieces of land, that were incorrectly registered as town or village greens (TVGs), from the register preventing their redevelopment, despite the landowners’ lengthy delays in applying for the rectifications.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 7th February 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Government JR reforms ‘take a sledgehammer to the rule of law’ – LegalVoice

Posted February 7th, 2014 in consultations, judicial review, legal aid, news, protective costs orders by sally

‘Controversial proposals to restrict judicial review will go ahead by way of a “a tough package of reform”, the government confirmed yesterday. Publishing its response to the consultation, Judicial Review: Proposals for further reform, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, said: “I believe in protecting judicial review as a check on unlawful executive action, but I am equally clear that it should not be abused, to act as a brake on growth.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 6th February 2014

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Wills “mix-up” case – no reason for a flood of litigation – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 7th, 2014 in mistake, news, rectification, solicitors, wills by sally

‘Would it be a fantasy too far to imagine that the ghost of the late Lord Denning has been whispering in the ears of their Lordships Neuberger, Clarke, Sumption, Carnwath and Hodge? Possibly not, given the Denning-esque outcome in the wills “mix-up” case of Marley v Rawlings and another. The facts of the case were simple. Mr and Mrs Rawlings wanted mirror wills leaving everything to each other and thereafter to Terry Marley who they treated as a son. On 17 May 1999 their solicitor visited them with drafted wills for the purpose of execution. However, Mr Rawlings executed Mrs Rawlings’ will and vice versa. Both wrongly executed wills were witnessed by their solicitor and a secretary. Each will correctly used such relevant words as “his”, “her”, “testator” and “testatrix”.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th February 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Staff restructuring and efficiency savings – Education Law Blog

‘In Hazel and Huggins v Manchester College [2014] EWCA Civ 72 the Court of Appeal has dismissed the College’s appeal against a majority Employment Tribunal decision that the dismissals of two lecturers at HMP Elmley in Kent, Mrs Hazel and Mrs Huggins (“H&H”) were not for an “economic technical or organisational” (ETO) reason that entailed a change in the workforce, but were because they refused to agree to new, reduced terms, and this was connected to a TUPE transfer, making their dismissals automatically unfair.’

Full story

Education Law Blog, 7th February 2014

Source: www.education11kbw.com

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority v First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) and another – WLR Daily

Posted February 7th, 2014 in criminal injuries compensation, dogs, law reports, news, violence by sally

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority v First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) and another [2014] EWCA Civ 65;  [2014] WLR (D)  45

‘In order to determine whether conduct which amounted to an offence contrary to section 3(1) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place was a “crime of violence”, for the purposes of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, it was necessary to have regard to the nature of the offence rather than its consequences. Negligently to allow a dog to escape, even a dog known to be aggressive, did not constitute a crime of violence.’

WLR Daily, 3rd February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Steven Williams guilty of murdering Joanna Hall – BBC News

Posted February 7th, 2014 in murder, news by sally

‘A chef who stabbed his girlfriend 40 times and waited five hours before calling 999 has been found guilty of murder at Swansea Crown Court.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Plebgate officer Keith Wallis jailed for 12 months – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 7th, 2014 in misfeasance in public office, news, police, sentencing by sally

‘A police officer who lied about witnessing the Plebgate row was jailed for 12 months today. Keith Wallis, 53, of West Drayton, West London, sent an email to Conservative deputy chief whip John Randall, who was his MP, wrongly claiming that he had seen what happened as Andrew Mitchell left Downing Street on September 19, 2012.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sophee Redhead cleared over Lydia Bishop nursery death – BBC News

‘A former nursery worker has been acquitted over the death of a three-year-old girl in her care. Lydia Bishop got her neck caught in a rope on an outdoor slide in September 2012, on what was her first full day at York College nursery. Sophee Redhead, 25, of York, had denied manslaughter by gross negligence.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Former headteacher at Nick Clegg’s school jailed for eight years for child abuse – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 7th, 2014 in child abuse, news, sentencing, sexual grooming, sexual offences, teachers by sally

‘A former headteacher at the prep school attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for abusing boys at the school.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Harlow bomb hoaxer Nigel Flanaghan jailed – BBC News

Posted February 7th, 2014 in bomb hoaxing, communicating false information, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who phoned police and said he was going to put a bomb in a mosque and wanted “to hang Muslims in the street” has been jailed for 12 months.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coronation Street actor William Roache acquitted of rape and assault charges – The Guardian

Posted February 7th, 2014 in assault, news, prosecutions, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘The Coronation Street star William Roache was acquitted of two counts of rape and five charges of indecent assault on Thursday at the end of a trial that raised questions about the decision of police and prosecutors to press charges.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Aristocrat is jailed for beating wife during rows over drug abuse – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 7th, 2014 in assault, domestic violence, news, sentencing by sally

‘An aristocrat has been jailed for two years after admitting beating his wife over a 22-year period. Lord Edward Somerset, 55, the son of the Duke of Beaufort, admitted four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm between 1990 and 2012.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th Febraury 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

US extradition fight cost couple their jobs, savings and health, court told – The Independent

Posted February 7th, 2014 in expenses, extradition, fraud, news by sally

‘The lives of a British couple who are fighting extradition to the United States over an alleged work expenses fraud have been “shattered”, the High Court has heard. Paul and Sandra Dunham, from Northampton, launched their action after the US Department of Justice sought their extradition over what the couple claim is an “employment-related dispute”.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

When Best Interests Collide: A Protected Party, Protected Party’s Children and the Court of Protection – Family Law Week

‘Sarah Phillimore, barrister of St John’s Chambers, Bristol, and Daniela Nickols, associate solicitor with Mowbray Woodwards, analyse the recent case of X,Y, and Z [2014] EWHC 87 (COP) in which the Court of Protection considered the interplay between the best interests of a protected party and that party’s children.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 5th February 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk