Bar Chairman Tells Annual Conference: Fight for Your Future or be Lost Forever

Posted November 12th, 2012 in barristers, news, speeches by sally

“Michael Todd QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, will today tell delegates at the Bar’s 27th Annual Conference, The Modern Bar – Accessible, Adaptable and Relevant, that it must fight to shape its own future or be lost forever.”

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The Bar Council, 10th November 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

One year on, are students still unconvinced by ABSs? – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in alternative business structures, legal services, news, trainee solicitors by sally

“In case you missed the memo, legal services are changing. You no longer need to be a lawyer to own a law firm, which means legal advice has become an exciting new commodity for big-brand employers.”

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The Guardian, 12th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Estoppel and unconscionability – NearlyLegal

Posted November 12th, 2012 in estoppel, local government, news, rights of way, roads by sally

“In Joyce v Epsom & Ewell BC [2012] EWCA Civ 1398, the Court of Appeal were faced with a not dissimilar case to the classic Crabb v Arun DC [1976] 1 Ch 179, at least in so far as it was a claim to an easement against a local authority by way of proprietary estoppel.”

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NearlyLegal, 9th November 2012

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Police treatment of 17-year-old suspects challenged in high court – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in detention, human rights, news, police, young persons by sally

“The treatment of 17-year-old suspects in police stations could be transformed if a legal challenge against the Home Office succeeds in overturning detention rules.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme Court to rule on a soldier’s right to life – The Independent

Posted November 12th, 2012 in armed forces, human rights, jurisdiction, news, Supreme Court by sally

“Whether a soldier on the battlefield has the right to life is to be debated by the highest court in the UK in a landmark case that is likely to have major ramifications for the armed forces, The Independent has learned.”

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The Independent, 10th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Abu Qatada awaits decision on deportation to Jordan – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in appeals, deportation, human rights, news, terrorism, torture by sally

“Terror suspect Abu Qatada will find out on Monday if he is to be deported to Jordan to face trial.”

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The Guardian, 12th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

LSB must go now, says Bar Council chief – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 12th, 2012 in Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The barristers’ profession cranked up its pressure on the Legal Services Board this weekend as the chair of the Bar Council called for the super regulator to be ‘disbanded’.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th November 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Press Complaints Commission chair urges against statutory press regulation – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in interception, media, news, ombudsmen, regulations by sally

“The chairman of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) has appealed to the government and Lord Justice Leveson not to introduce statutory regulation of the press, even though he admits having sympathy with the campaign for new press laws led by Hugh Grant.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme court urged to rule on Sikh leader’s claim he is a ‘holy saint’ – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in admissibility, news, religious discrimination, Sikhism, succession, Supreme Court by sally

“The supreme court is considering whether it should rule on the spiritual status of a Sikh leader and examine his claim to be a ‘holy saint’.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Homeless Legislation – a thing of the past?’ – NearlyLegal

Posted November 12th, 2012 in homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

“Now that the Guardian has the story, I feel able to quote a briefing paper by Andy Gale of the DCLG that had found its way to me. This is the briefing that Andy Gale has been giving to Council officers (not councillors, as far as I know) on what he gives as the DCLG view of the post-Localism Act world, how Councils should implement it, and how officers should sell this to Councillors.”

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NearlyLegal, 10th November 2012

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Schoolboy who disguised himself as old man to rob jewellers is jailed – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in impersonation, news, robbery, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A schoolboy who wore a prosthetic disguise and hairpieces to carry out armed robberies has been sent to prison.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police launch mugshots database to catch criminals who move around the country – The Independent

Posted November 12th, 2012 in data protection, facial mapping, news, photography, police, recidivists by sally

“Detectives say face-matching technology is a ‘game changer’, but doubts remain on what data should be held.”

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The Independent, 12th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government says mounting damages claims support case for secret courts – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2012 in closed material, damages, evidence, human rights, news, private hearings, torture by sally

“Seven fresh claims for damages involving highly sensitive national security evidence have been made in the past year, the government has revealed. Three cases have been settled confidentially.”

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The Guardian, 12th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cell-push policeman Mark Andrews wins job ruling – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2012 in assault, disciplinary procedures, dismissal, news, police by sally

“A police officer who was sacked after a woman prisoner was dragged across a floor and thrown in a cell must get his job back, a High Court judge has ruled.”

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BBC News, 9th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ashley Charles jailed for murdering Phillip Sherriff after Jessie J gig – The Independent

Posted November 9th, 2012 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A graphic designer was jailed for a minimum of 14 years today for killing a telephone executive with a broken bottle after a Jessie J gig.”

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The Independent, 9th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Former City lawyer Patrick Raggett wins £54,000 damages after suffering years of abuse at Jesuit-run school – The Independent

Posted November 9th, 2012 in child abuse, damages, news, psychiatric damage by sally

“A former City lawyer who claims he made a mess of his life because he was sexually abused at a Jesuit-run school today won £54,923 damages.”

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The Independent, 9th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Flip Flopping: Telefonica UK v Office of Communications – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted November 9th, 2012 in competition, EC law, news, telecommunications by sally

“What should Ofcom do when mobile network operators (‘MNOs’) spot a loophole in the regulator’s price control mechanism and proceed to ‘game’ the system over several years, increasing their revenues by many millions of pounds?”

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 6th November 2012

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Iraq soldier families can bring negligence but not human rights claims – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 9th, 2012 in armed forces, human rights, negligence, news, state immunity by sally

“Smith & Ors v The Ministry of Defence [2012] EWCA Civ 1365

Last month, the Court of Appeal decided that the negligence claims of the families of five British soldiers killed on duty in Iraq could go ahead. It would be for the High Court to decide on the facts whether decisions made about troops’ equipment and training fell within the long-standing doctrine of ‘combat immunity’.  The appellants were however unsuccessful in arguing that the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) applied.

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UK Human Rights Blog, 9th November 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Update on recent Tribunal decisions part 2: personal data of “low inherent sensitivity” – Panopticon

Posted November 9th, 2012 in data protection, disclosure, freedom of information, news, tribunals by sally

“The ‘personal data’ provisions under s. 40(2) FOIA and regulation 13 EIR can often be very difficult to apply, particularly in light of the Durant ‘notions of assistance’, namely biographical significance and focus. It is correspondingly difficult to predict how such arguments will fare before the Tribunal. Two recent cases offer good illustrations. Both saw the Tribunal order disclosure of property-related personal data which was deemed to be of ‘low inherent sensitivity.’ ”

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Panopticon, 8th November 2012

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Content of emails should generally not be considered as property, rules High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 9th, 2012 in confidentiality, disclosure, electronic mail, intellectual property, news by sally

“Businesses do not have a general claim of ownership over the content in staff emails, a High Court judge has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com