The director of an English mobile phone company, now in liquidation, has been held liable for both fraudulent trading and misfeasance for participation in missing trader intra-community (MTIC) VAT fraud. – OUT-LAW.com

‘The High Court upheld an application made by the liquidator of JD Group Ltd (“the company”) claiming that Deepak Bhatia, the company director, was engaged in fraudulent trading owing to knowledge that the company was associated with VAT fraud. Judge Agnello QC found that the manner in which the respective transactions were carried out provided clear evidence of this knowledge and that Bhatia’s conduct was dishonest in accordance with the objective standards of ordinary decent people.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Property Guardians and HMOs – they are, you know – Nearly Legal

‘Global 100 Ltd v Jimenez & Ors (HOUSING – HOUSE IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION – RENT REPAYMENT ORDER – “property guardians”) (2022) UKUT 50 (LC) In which Global 100, flushed by their win in the Court of Appeal in Global 100 Ltd v Laleva (2021) EWCA Civ 1835 (our note), appealed a First Tier Tribunal decision that a commercial office building, in which 10-12 guardians were living, was an unlicensed HMO and rent repayment orders followed.’

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Nearly Legal, 2nd March 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You copyright row set for High Court trial – The Independent

Posted March 4th, 2022 in artistic works, copyright, intellectual property, news by sally

‘Ed Sheeran’s hit song Shape Of You is at the centre of a High Court copyright row. Sheeran is involved in a legal battle with two songwriters who claim the 2017 hit rips off parts of their song Oh Why, and a three-week trial is due to start on Friday in London.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lack of jurisdiction entitled adjudicator to resign – Practical Law: Construction Blog

‘Last year I wrote about the judgment in Davies & Davies Associates Ltd v Steve Ward Services (UK) Ltd, where Roger ter Haar QC (sitting as a deputy High Court judge) granted summary judgment on a claim for payment of an adjudicator’s fees and expenses arising from an adjudication in which the adjudicator resigned prior to issuing a decision. The matter has now come before the Court of Appeal in Steve Ward Services (UK) Ltd v Davies & Davies Associates Ltd, with Coulson LJ giving the leading judgment. The court upheld the first instance decision and also allowed the adjudicator’s cross-appeal, finding that the judge was wrong to suggest the adjudicator’s decision to resign was erroneous or that he went outside the ambit of paragraph 13 of the Scheme for Construction Contracts 1998.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 2nd March 2022

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Devolved powers and the internal market post-Brexit – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (on the Application of the Counsel General for Wales) v Secretary of State for business, Energy and Industrial Strategy [2022] EWCA Civ 118. The Court of Appeal decision handed down on 9th February 2022 is an important case concerning devolved powers.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd March 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Scottish law firm can be sued for negligence in England – Legal Futures

‘A Scottish law firm, which has no offices south of the border, has failed in a jurisdiction challenge to halt a negligence claim over advice a solicitor gave over a Cornish wind farm project.’

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Legal Futures, 4th March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Financial Remedy Update, February 2022 – Family Law Week

Posted March 4th, 2022 in divorce, families, family courts, financial provision, news, pensions by sally

‘Sue Brookes, Principle Associate and Nicola Rowlings, Professional Support Lawyer, at Mills & Reeve LLP consider the most important news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during January 2022.’

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Family Law Week, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

‘No fault’ divorce is great, but it’s time to move the conversation on – Family Law

Posted March 4th, 2022 in dispute resolution, divorce, families, family courts, news by sally

‘With the dawn of “no fault” divorce almost upon us there is a sense of post-election frivolity reverberating throughout the sector, with the Government proudly patting itself on the back for delivering on the most significant shake up of family law in almost five decades.

To a certain extent, one could argue rightly so.

Indeed, National Family Mediation was one of the many organisations campaigning for change to what is widely accepted to be a stale and outdated area of law, with already heartbroken families kickstarting divorce proceedings by blaming their former spouse for the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship.

And so let me start this article by stressing that I, and my mediation colleagues, are most certainly in favour of the reforms which will aid the ability to separate on a less acrimonious footing, regardless of who has done what and to whom.

However, as the April 6th deadline rapidly approaches it feels prudent to caution that this major legislative change is not, in isolation, the end to all of our problems.’

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Family Law, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Draft guidelines published to help improve practice when the state acts to safeguard a baby at birth – Family Law

Posted March 4th, 2022 in birth, care orders, children, families, local government, news by sally

‘Draft guidelines to help improve practice when the state acts to safeguard a baby at birth have been published by Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (Nuffield FJO) and are being tested for feasibility in sites across England and Wales.’

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Family Law, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Competition watchdog probes Mitie over immigration centre contracts – The Independent

‘The UK competition regulator has launched an investigation into whether outsourcing firm Mitie Group has broken competition law in relation to a procurement process for immigration removal centre contracts run by the Home Office.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Senior judge recommends scaling back of Commons standards tsar’s dual role – The Independent

Posted March 4th, 2022 in codes of practice, disciplinary procedures, news, parliament by sally

‘Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone should have her decision-making powers stripped back and the Commons be banned from amending reports into MPs’ rule breaches, a review of the standards system has recommended.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Justice system in England and Wales ‘risks causing fresh trauma to girls’ – The Guardian

‘The vast majority of vulnerable young women and girls in the criminal justice system in England and Wales have previously suffered abuse and violence and are in danger of being retraumatised by the experience, charities say.’

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The Guardian, 4th March 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Greater Manchester Police pays £8,000 damages to rape complainant – BBC News

‘A woman who said “dismissive” police told her “nothing would come” out of reporting being raped after her drink was spiked has received £8,000 damages.’

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BBC News, 4th March 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Equal pay litigation in retail – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 3rd, 2022 in employment tribunals, equal pay, equality, news, women by sally

‘It was back in the 1970s when equal pay legislation was introduced, and it is 12 years since the regulations were rebranded within the Equality Act 2010. So how far have we come in the quest for equal pay? If you are a female store-based supermarket worker, not far, it would seem.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 25th February 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

County fires gun on procurement of £369k legal case management system amid mini-flurry of contract awards by local authorities – Local Government Lawyer

‘Gloucestershire County Council has started the procurement of a fully developed, off the shelf, cloud-based Legal Case Management System with Court Bundling System.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Happy Birthday: Unfair Dismissal at 50 – by Hugh Collins – UK Labour Law

Posted March 3rd, 2022 in employment, employment tribunals, news, trade unions, unfair dismissal by sally

‘Half a century ago, on the 28th of February 1972, the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1971 that established an employee’s statutory right not to be unfairly dismissed came into force. To mark this anniversary, I offer some reflections on the significance and impact of this major legal innovation.’

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UK Labour Law, 3rd March 2022

Source: uklabourlawblog.com

Being gay as a judge “no longer an issue”, says CA vice-president – Legal Futures

Posted March 3rd, 2022 in barristers, homosexuality, judges, judiciary, news by sally

‘Being a judge who “happens to be gay” has “completely disappeared as an issue”, the vice-president of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Covid: Half of Nightingale Courts to close within weeks – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2022 in coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, news by sally

‘Almost half of the temporary Nightingale Courts set up at the start of the pandemic are to close, the Ministry of Justice has announced.’

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BBC News, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bid by Kazakh mining company to sue journalist is dismissed by judge – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2022 in defamation, fraud, media, murder, news, witnesses by sally

‘An attempt by a Kazakh mining giant to sue a British journalist for allegedly claiming it ordered the murders of three men has been thrown out by a judge.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

LSB warns Bar Council over objections to “unreasonable” PCF rise – Legal Futures

Posted March 2nd, 2022 in barristers, budgets, consultations, fees, Legal Services Board, news, statistics by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved a 4.5% increase in the practising certificate fee (PCF) for barristers, while warning the Bar Council that the exercise of its regulatory functions, such as setting the fee, “should not be prejudiced” by its representative role.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd March 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk