Library Closures and the Public Sector Equality Duty: Libraries – 11 KBW

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in equality, libraries, local government, news by sally

“I [Elisabeth Laing QC] consider 6 topics in this paper
(1) the legislative framework
(2) the implied duty to assess need
(3) community groups
(4) Equality Impact Assessments (‘EIAs’) and libraries
(5) institutional arrangements
(6) the Localism Act 2011.”

Full story (PDF)

11 KBW, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.11kbw.com

Environmental and planning law newsletter – Thirty Nine Essex Street

Environmental and planning law newsletter (PDF)

Thirty Nine Essex Street, March 2012

Source: www.39essex.com

Going Over The Top – One Inner Temple Lane

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in news, sport by sally

“Vincent Kompany, Didier Drogba, Nenad Milijas are members of the growing club of players being sent off for serious foul play in the Premier League. Pundits and commentators seem to like nothing more at the moment than to pore over these decisions, happy to quote anyone that will talk about it with their view or opinion.”

Full story (PDF)

One Inner Temple Lane, 21st March 2012

Source: www.1itl.com

The Public Sector Equality Duty – 11 KBW

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in equality, news by sally

“Since the Coalition Government came into power, ‘doing more with less’ has become a typical catchphrase. Cutting public services, charging for services, or finding a more economically attractive way of delivering public services has been a requirement for most, if not all, public authorities.”

Full story (PDF)

11 KBW, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.11kbw.com

Kennedy v Charity Commission (Information Commissioner and another intervening) – WLR Daily

Kennedy v Charity Commission (Information Commissioner and another intervening) [2012] EWCA Civ 317; [2012] WLR (D) 91

“The right to freedom of expression under article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was not engaged in a case in which the Charity Commission had refused to comply with a journalist’s request that he be supplied with certain information, by applying an absolute exemption which was said to derive from section 32(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.”

WLR Daily, 20th March 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Sports law: rules of the game – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in advertising, competition, drug abuse, media, news, sport by sally

“The complex web of commercial and regulatory issues that surrounds sport is occupying an ever-increasing amount of lawyers’ time. That was evident at the Law Society’s Sports Law Conference, held at Chancery Lane last week. It may be true that, as Charles Russell partner Simon Johnson told the conference, ‘a sports right as such does not exist’. But that has not stopped the rights and laws that affect sport from developing into a unique combination of problems whose resolution requires a growing cast of legal minds.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Calls for Action in Wake of MP Report on MoJ Finances – The Bar Council

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in Ministry of Justice, news, reports by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed the findings of a report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) into the financial management of the Ministry of Justice, which raises serious concerns about a number of areas of saving and expenditure.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 20th March 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Killer Kevin Nunn in High Court forensic evidence challenge – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in appeals, DNA, evidence, forensic science, news by sally

“A convicted killer has started a new High Court challenge to access forensic evidence that his lawyers claim could clear his name.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Justice reforms move to next stage – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in bills, legal aid, news, parliament, sentencing by sally

“Plans for radical reforms to the justice system have moved another step forward in the Houses of Parliament.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 21st March 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Family Law Week’s Budget Briefing 2012 – Family Law Week

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in budgets, capital gains tax, corporation tax, news, tax avoidance, taxation by sally

“Steve Crompton & David Kitson, Tax Directors at RSM Tenon, review the Chancellor’s 2012 Budget announcements.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 21st March 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.com

Government to consult further on introducing a general tax avoidance prohibition in 2013 – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in consultations, news, tax avoidance by sally

“The Government has accepted that the introduction of a general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) will improve the UK’s tax avoidance strategy whilst maintaining competitiveness, and will consult further with business on introducing a GAAR into the UK tax system, the Chancellor confirmed in today’s Budget.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 21st March 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Outrage at £2.60 wage proposal for trainees – Law Society’s Gazette

“Trainee solicitors could be paid as little as £2.60 an hour in their first year under an amendment to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s proposals for ending the minimum wage. The Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) today condemned the move as another step towards making the legal profession the ‘preserve of the rich’.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Appeasement it may be, but exclusion of Iranian dissident not a matter for the courts – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in freedom of expression, Iran, news, parliament by sally

“The High Court has upheld an order by the Home Secretary preventing Maryam Rajavi, a prominent Iranian dissident, from speaking in Parliament. The exclusion order was imposed because of concerns about the deterioration of bilateral relationships between this country and the Iranian government, and fears that if the exclusion order was lifted there could be reprisals that put British nationals at risk and make further consular cooperation even more problematic. For further details of the Home Secretary’s decision see Henry Oliver’s excellent discussion of the case ‘Free Speech and Iranian Dissent in Parliament’.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 21st March 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judges will not have to give life terms to repeat dangerous criminals because of human rights laws – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in dangerous offenders, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“Judges will not have to impose new ‘two strikes and you’re out’ mandatory life jail terms on all dangerous repeat criminals because of human rights laws, the Government has admitted.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Richard O’Dwyer case: Lawyers lodge extradition appeal – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in appeals, copyright, extradition, internet, news by sally

“The family of a Sheffield student who faces extradition to the United States has confirmed an appeal has been lodged by lawyers.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

No referral exemption for charities, Lords rule – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in bills, charities, fees, news, trade unions by sally

“The House of Lords has blocked attempts to exempt charities and trade unions from the referral fee ban. The house was debating proposed amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders bill.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

David Anderson QC backs closed hearings in some national security cases – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2012 in closed material, intelligence services, news, private hearings, terrorism by sally

“The independent reviewer of terrorism legislation has said there is a ‘small but indeterminate category of national security-related claims’ in which a closed hearing would be preferable to existing court procedures.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers condemn budget’s £20m legal funding gesture – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 21st, 2012 in budgets, legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“Chancellor George Osborne today promised £20m a year in new funding for the not-for-profit advice sector over the next two years. The sum was immediately and widely condemned as being not enough to replace shortfalls left by spending cuts.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Budget 2012 – HM Treasury

Posted March 21st, 2012 in budgets, news by sally

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, today announced his Budget which maintains the Government’s strategy to reduce the deficit, announces far-reaching tax reforms, and support for growth and to reward work. It sets out the actions the Government will take in three areas – creating a stable economy, a fairer, more efficient and simpler tax system, and further reforms to support growth.

Press notice (PDF)

HM Treasury, 21st March 2012

Source: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

Related link: Budget 2012

Women’s criminal justice policy proposal fails – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 21st, 2012 in bills, criminal justice, news, women by sally

“A proposal to establish a women’s criminal justice policy unit within the Ministry of Justice foundered yesterday after a vote on an amendment to the Legal Aid Sentencing and Criminal Justice Bill was tied.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk