Lord Justice Leveson to be invited to give evidence to MPs – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in evidence, judges, media, news, select committees by sally

“Lord Justice Leveson is to be invited to give evidence for the first time to MPs about his report on the future of press regulation and the resulting impasse over setting up a new industry watchdog.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Setting Standards: The future of legal services education and training regulation in England and Wales – Legal Education and Training Review

Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

Setting Standards: The future of legal services education and training regulation in England and Wales (PDF)

Legal Education and Training Review, 25th June 2013

Source: www.letr.org.uk

Privatising the courts: if anyone needs advice, it’s the judiciary – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in constitutional reform, contracting out, courts, judiciary, news, tribunals by sally

“The judges have nothing to gain and everything to lose by negotiating with Chris Grayling in private.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal Education and Training Review report: a good basis but many areas to improve – Legal Futures

Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“There is a good standard of legal education and training in England and Wales – ‘for the most part’ – but quality, accessibility and flexibility need to be enhanced ‘to ensure the system remains fit for the future’, the Legal Education and Training Review research report has concluded.”

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Legal Futures, 25th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LETR: business as usual for the bar as report rejects common training – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“Training for barristers and solicitors is almost certain to remain separate following the Legal Education and Training Review’s rejection of the idea of a common professional course.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

When Laws Become Too Complex: ill-timed and badly thought out – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 25th, 2013 in drafting, legislation, news, reports by sally

“As the dust from the Civil Justice reforms begins to settle, it appears that Parliamentary counsel have slipped another consultation through in the background. Published in March this year, it appears innocuous enough, but on further consideration raises a number of significant concerns. I also question why this report was even necessary. Parliamentary austerity and wholesale changes to the legal profession should have lent caution to the writers of the report, given that this can be construed as a real attack upon the legal profession. Ill-timed and badly thought out, the principle will be applauded by businesses that will look at the superficial benefits but not appreciate the issues, and is therefore convenient politically.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th June 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexhange.co.uk

Education review comes out for ‘incremental’ reform – Law Society’s Gazette

“Legal education and training is not ‘fundamentally broken’ but is failing to ensure consistent levels of quality across the profession, a long-awaited pan-profession report says today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New copyright laws give researchers right to conduct ‘electronic analysis’ of copied content – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 25th, 2013 in bills, copyright, data protection, news by sally

“Researchers that wish to conduct “electronic analysis” of copyrighted content for non-commercial purposes will have a right to copy that information under proposed new copyright laws.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Whistleblowing: is new ‘public interest’ test a good thing? – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in employment, news, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

“In the wake of the Edward Snowden disclosures, some fear that changes to UK whistleblowing laws could discourage those here wanting to spill the beans.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New allegations of police misconduct in Stephen Lawrence case to be investigated – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 25th, 2013 in news, police, professional conduct, whistleblowers by sally

“Allegations that undercover officers were used to smear reputations of Stephen Lawrence’s family will be investigated, says Home Secretary.”

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Ministry of Justice, 24th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Regulator widens criteria for entity approval – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 25th, 2013 in alternative business structures, barristers, news by sally

“It will be easier for barristers to set up legal businesses after the Bar Standards Board agreed last week to make the criteria for approving new entities more flexible.”

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Bar Standards Board, 24th June 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

UNISON applies for judicial review of employment tribunal fees – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 25th, 2013 in employment tribunals, judicial review, news, trade unions, tribunals, women by sally

“UNISON has applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the Ministry of Justice’s decision to introduce employment tribunal fees from the end of next month, it has announced.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

CPS under fire for failures in two serious cases – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2013 in Crown Prosecution Service, delay, news, professional conduct, trials by sally

The Crown Prosecution Service has been criticised by two separate Crown court judges after sending an ‘incompetent’ advocate to prosecute a murder trial and for ‘lamentable failures’ that delayed a rape trial.

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ballet dancer Jack Widdowson’s attacker jailed for 13 years – BBC News

“A man who attacked a ballet dancer, broke his neck and left him lying in the street has been jailed for 13 years.”

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BBC News, 24th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watchdog wants new code of conduct for UK bankers – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2013 in banking, codes of practice, news, professional conduct by sally

“Bankers should be subject to a new code of conduct overseen by a body similar to the General Medical Council, a consumer watchdog has claimed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lord chief justice warns Chris Grayling on courts privatisation plans – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in constitutional reform, contracting out, courts, judges, judiciary, news, tribunals by sally

“The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has been warned by the lord chief justice, Lord Judge, not to undermine the independence of the judiciary through plans to privatise parts of the court service or make it self-financing.”

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The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jake Davis: Freed hacker faces strict tech rules – BBC News

Posted June 25th, 2013 in computer crime, electronic monitoring, news, probation, young offenders by sally

“A convicted hacker who was detained in a young offender institution has been released – but will now face strict limitations on his technology use.”

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BBC News, 24th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Spinster sisters could win legal right to be treated as married couples, Peers told – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2013 in bills, carers, civil partnerships, families, human rights, married persons, news by sally

“The introduction of same-sex marriage could finally open the way for carers and relatives such as unmarried sisters who live together to be given the same legal status as married couples, the House of Lords has been told.”

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Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jeremy Forrest: child protection experts warn against romanticising case – The Guardian

“To glance at some headlines, a reader might think this was a conventional love story: ‘I still love him’; ‘He’s wonderful, I’ll fight for him’. But this was, child protection professionals agree, a relationship built around abuse.”

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The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Military judge raises court martial concerns – BBC News

Posted June 25th, 2013 in armed forces, courts martial, judges, juries, news by sally

“The UK’s senior military judge has expressed concern about the way in which members of the armed forces can be convicted of serious offences by a majority of just one member of a military jury.”

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BBC News, 25th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk