Crackdown on ‘gagging orders’ to protect victims’ ability to access support – Ministry of Justice

‘Victims will no longer be prevented from accessing support or legal advice under plans to crack down on the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).’

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Ministry of Justice, 28th March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Crackdown on ‘gagging orders’ to protect victims’ ability to access support – Ministry of Justice

‘Victims will no longer be prevented from accessing support or legal advice under plans to crack down on the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).’

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Ministry of Justice, 28th March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Lawyers and the misuse of NDAs – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Legal Services Board has published its report on the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). It focuses on the conduct of lawyers and forms part of the LSB’s Reshaping Legal Services strategy, which centres on the delivery of high-quality legal advice with strong professional ethics.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council to meet Can’t Buy My Silence over NDAs – Legal Futures

Posted September 5th, 2023 in barristers, consultations, news, non-disclosure agreements by sally

‘The Bar Council is to meet non-disclosure agreement (NDA) pressure group Can’t Buy My Silence in the wake of its criticism of the barrister body’s stance.’

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Legal Futures, 5th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Weinstein whistleblower attacks Bar Council over NDAs stance – Legal Futures

‘The woman who first broke a Harvey Weinstein non-disclosure agreement (NDAs) has strongly criticised the Bar Council for dismissing the growing evidence of NDA abuse.’

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Legal Futures, 4th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB has “no role” in regulating lawful use of NDAs, Bar Council says – Legal Futures

Posted August 1st, 2023 in barristers, Legal Services Board, news, non-disclosure agreements by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has “no role” in “attempting to control or regulate lawyers involved in assisting clients in the lawful use of NDAs”, the Bar Council has said.’

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Legal Futures, 1st August 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB looks to beef up regulatory response to misuse of NDAs – Legal Futures

‘The need for a “strengthened and harmonised regulatory approach” to tackle the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) is being probed by the Legal Services Board.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Regulators plan new work on lawyers’ misuse of NDAs – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Regulators will seek to draw up new rules on dealing with lawyers who use non-disclosure agreements to cover up clients’ sexual misconduct and harassment, it has emerged.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 23rd January 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Met police take ex-officer who made claims of sexism and racism to court – The Guardian

‘The Metropolitan police is taking a former senior officer to court, claiming her allegations of racism and sexism broke an agreement meant to gag her from speaking out, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 21st August 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Top barrister accuses Labour of ‘spin’ over NDAs gagging ex-staff – The Guardian

‘One of the UK’s most high-profile freedom of expression lawyers has accused Labour of “spin and dissembling” for denying it attempted to stop two female ex-staffers from speaking about sexual harassment. In a highly unusual intervention, Mark Stephens, who represented Georgie Robertson and Laura Murray, said there were “high public interests at play” and said the party was “undermining their credibility” by issuing statements denying it had tried to offer them non-disclosure agreements.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Oxford college pays damages to woman after alleged rape by fellow student – The Guardian

‘A University of Oxford college has pledged to overhaul its handling of sexual assault cases after paying damages to settle a legal action taken by a woman who said she was raped by a fellow student.’

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The Guardian, 1st April 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

NDAs “cannot be controlled by professional regulators” – Legal Futures

‘The use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) cannot be effectively controlled by professional regulators like the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and legislation is needed, a law professor and campaigner for tougher restrictions has said.’

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Legal Futures, 15th September 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“You know what we meant!” Supreme Court guidance on non-compete clauses – 3PB

‘On 23 July 2021 the Supreme Court handed down its unanimous judgment on the issues of restraint of trade and solicitors’ undertakings. This article considers the central issue before the court, namely whether a non-compete undertaking within a non-disclosure agreement was an unreasonable restraint of trade and therefore unenforceable.’

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3PB, 9th August 2021

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

New Judgment: Harcus Sinclair LLP and Anor v Your Lawyers Ltd [2021] UKSC 32 – UKSC Blog

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously allowed this appeal concerning whether a non-compete clause, by which one law firm agreed with another law firm not to take part in the emissions litigation without the latter’s permission, is enforceable or not.’

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UKSC Blog, 23rd July 2021

Source: ukscblog.com

Supreme Court upholds six-year non-compete clause signed by law firm – Legal Futures

‘A non-compete undertaking given by one law firm to another ahead of them working together was reasonable and not a restraint of trade, the Supreme Court ruled today.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Public street harassment set to be made illegal in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Public street harassment is likely to be criminalised under plans being drawn up by the government as part of its long-awaited strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) for England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Case Preview: Harcus Sinclair LLP v Your Lawyers Ltd – UKSC Blog

‘In this post, Sarah Day, a senior associate with CMS, previews the decision awaited from the UK Supreme Court in the matter of Harcus Sinclair LLP v Your Lawyers Limited. This case centres around a non-compete clause contained within a non-disclosure agreement between two firms of solicitors. It is an important case in the sphere of solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance as it sees the issues of (i) the Court’s inherent jurisdiction over solicitors as officers of the Court, (ii) the interaction of that jurisdiction with the restraint of trade doctrine and (ii) the interpretation and enforcement of solicitors’ undertakings, to be considered at the highest level since 1940.’

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UKSC Blog, 25th May 2021

Source: ukscblog.com

Whistleblowers’ lawyers “fear retaliation” over NDAs – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers acting for whistleblowers have told MPs and peers that they can feel intimidated to raise concerns over non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) because of the threat of retaliation.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Anger as watchdog clears Alzheimer’s Society of wrongdoing – The Guardian

‘The charity watchdog is embroiled in a row with ex-employees of the Alzheimer’s Society after clearing it of wrongdoing, following claims in a Guardian investigation over payouts to workers who signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).’

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The Guardian, 4th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Commons spends more than £800,000 on paying off former staff – BBC News

Posted March 5th, 2020 in confidentiality, news, non-disclosure agreements, parliament by tracey

‘The House of Commons has paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds in non-disclosure and settlement agreements with former employees, according to official figures.’

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BBC News, 5th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk