Judge who spared aspiring Oxford student from jail after she stabbed her partner is cleared following investigation into three complaints – Daily Telegraph

‘A judge who spared an aspiring Oxford University student from jail after she stabbed her boyfriend has been investigated over three complaints relating to the case.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Press watchdog’s future in doubt after chief’s anti-Mail tweets – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2017 in internet, judicial review, media, news, professional conduct, publishing, reports, standards by sally

‘The future of the only government-approved press watchdog, Impress, is in doubt after an internal report concluded that its chief executive had brought the organisation into disrepute and that his position would be untenable if the Daily Mail and the Sun had applied to join.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

SDT finally publishes Leigh Day judgment – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal today published the long-awaited judgment on human rights firm Leigh Day and three of its lawyers.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th September 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB makes unprecedented public apology to QC over investigation failures – Legal Futures

Posted September 20th, 2017 in barristers, delay, news, professional conduct by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) issued an unprecedented public apology to a QC yesterday for the errors and delays it made in clearing him of misconduct.’

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Legal Futures, 20th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Police watchdog to hold misconduct hearing in secret over man’s death – The Guardian

‘A disciplinary hearing of six police officers who have been accused of gross misconduct over the death of a 23-year-old man who died after a prolonged period of restraint seven years ago will begin in secret on Monday.’

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The Guardian, 11th september 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

GP who created fake patient ‘M Mouse’ ‘to cope with workload’ escapes suspension – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 8th, 2017 in disciplinary procedures, doctors, news, professional conduct by sally

‘A GP who listed “M Mouse” among hundreds of bogus patients has escaped suspension after a tribunal decided it was his way of coping with his workload.’

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Daily Telegraph, 7th September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tribunal urges SRA to reconsider advice on solicitors entering sexual relationships with clients – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) should reconsider the advice it gives to solicitors who enter into sexual relationships with clients, a tribunal has said as it fined one £8,500 for the conflict of interest such a relationship caused.’

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Legal Futures, 4th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Local authority apologises to councillor cleared of unlawfully handling newts – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Forest of Dean councillor has been cleared both of unlawfully handling protected newts and of swearing at other councillors.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th August 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Mail on Sunday censured for ‘misleading’ attack on top QC – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 8th, 2017 in barristers, complaints, media, news, professional conduct, queen's counsel by sally

‘The independent press regulator has ruled in favour of a leading QC after she complained about an article which appeared in the Mail on Sunday.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th August 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Police helicopter crew cleared of using chopper to spy on couple having sex – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 7th, 2017 in aircraft, news, police, professional conduct, video recordings by sally

‘Two police officers and two pilots accused of misusing a force helicopter to film naked sunbathers and a couple having sex have been cleared of all charges.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th August 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB increases efficiency in handling complaints – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its Enforcement Annual Report for 2016-17.’

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Bar Standards Board, 1st August 2017

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

SRA shuts down law firm referred by Court of Appeal after it revoked £500,000 costs order – Legal Futures

‘A law firm referred to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) by the Court of Appeal earlier this year has been shut down by the regulator.’

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Legal Futures, 4th July 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Stalking victim Helen Pearson rejects police apology over stabbing – BBC News

Posted June 29th, 2017 in assault, news, police, professional conduct, stalking, victims by sally

A woman who was stabbed by her stalker has dismissed a police apology as “meaningless”.

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BBC News, 29th June 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitor who took client data to new firm without consent rebuked and fined – Legal Futures

‘A London solicitor who took confidential information from defunct London firm Davenport Lyons (DL) to his new employer without client consent has been rebuked and fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 26th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Honesty, integrity and pleading / putting allegations – UK Police Law Blog

‘The debate on whether there is a difference between honesty and integrity continues apace in Rhys Williams v Solicitors Regulatory Authority [2017] EWHC 1478 (Admin). I expressed my opinion here that there was a material difference between the two and that the decision of Mostyn J in Malins v Solicitors Regulatory Authority [2017] EWHC 835 (Admin), that the two were synonymous, was not correct – at least for the purposes of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2012. The Divisional Court (the President of the QBD presiding) has now similarly deprecated it.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 21st June 2017

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

“Massive memory test” preventing Bar students from understanding ethical values – Legal Futures

‘Bar students are struggling to understand ethical values because of the “massive memory test” awaiting them in the examination room, a senior lecturer has claimed.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court overturns dishonesty finding against solicitor due to “serious procedural irregularities” – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has overturned a finding of dishonesty made by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) against a prominent solicitor because the allegation was not tested during the hearing – which the court called a “serious procedural irregularity”.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Poor behaviour on the part of McKenzie Friends ‘a minority concern’ – Legal Voice

‘Most litigants in person were happy with their experience of paid McKenzie Friends, according to research published this week. The study commissioned by the Bar Council found that unrepresented litigants reported ‘relatively low’ costs for such services.’

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Legal Voice, 13th June 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

SRA presses ahead with seven-page code of conduct and solicitors practising in unregulated firms – Legal Futures

Posted June 14th, 2017 in news, privilege, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to press ahead with allowing practising solicitors to deliver unreserved services to the public from unregulated organisations, as part of a radical shake-up of the way it oversees the profession.’

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Legal Futures, 13th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Claimant firm castigated for “procedural chaos” that saw case struck out – Litigation Futures

‘A claimant law firm that allowed a straightforward and relatively low-value road traffic accident claim to descend into “procedural chaos” has seen it struck out by the High Court.’

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Litigation Futures, 13th June 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com