New Standard Contractual Terms to take effect in January 2013 – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 10th, 2012 in barristers, contracts, legal services, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB), the regulatory body for barristers in England and Wales, has agreed that the new Standard Contractual Terms will now take effect on 31 January 2013.”

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Bar Standards Board, 9th October 2012

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Standard bar contracts put back by three months – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 10th, 2012 in barristers, contracts, legal services, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

“The introduction of standard contractual terms between barristers and solicitors has been delayed by three months to make sure all firms and chambers are prepared, the Bar Standards Board announced today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB Annual Report – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 5th, 2012 in barristers, professional conduct, reports by tracey

“The Report consists of statements from the Chair, Baroness Ruth Deech, and the Director, Dr Vanessa Davies. There is also an overview of the year and a selection of case studies. Financial statements are also included in the report.”

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Bar Standards Board, 3rd October 2012

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

IBA 2012: former president of American bar dismisses ‘risky’ ABS model – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 5th, 2012 in alternative business structures, law firms, news, professional conduct by tracey

“The immediate past-president of the American Bar Association has strongly denounced alternative business structures, arguing that non-lawyer investment in law firms compromises the client’s best interests and undermines professional independence.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Healthy teacher pretended she had cancer and set up fake blog about treatment – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 5th, 2012 in disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct, teachers by tracey

“A music teacher has been banned from the classroom after lying that she had cancer and providing a false medical report in order to have time off.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police figures show corruption cases against 49 Met officers – The Guardian

“Forty-nine Metropolitan police officers were suspended for corruption over a three-year period, with figures showing 15 cases were proven, 18 unproven and 16 ongoing.”

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The Guardian, 29th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hillsborough investigation launched by SRA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 21st, 2012 in complaints, families, news, professional conduct, solicitors, sport by tracey

“The role and conduct of solicitors involved in legal proceedings following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster will be investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the regulator announced today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 20th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

IPCC highlights police sex cases – The Independent

“Too many police officers and staff have taken sexual advantage of members of the public they were supposed to be helping, a watchdog said today.”

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The Independent, 20th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sky is a fit and proper broadcaster, rules Ofcom – The Guardian

Posted September 20th, 2012 in interception, licensing, media, news, ombudsmen, professional conduct by sally

“The media regulator Ofcom has found that BSkyB remains a ‘fit and proper’ owner of a broadcast licence despite the phone-hacking affair which embroiled its parent company and during which, it said, James Murdoch’s conduct repeatedly fell short of the standard to be expected.”

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The Guardian, 20th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ian Tomlinson case: PC Simon Harwood guilty of gross misconduct – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2012 in disciplinary procedures, news, police, professional conduct by sally

“The police officer acquitted of killing Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests in London faces certain dismissal after a disciplinary panel found he had committed gross misconduct.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tomlinson death case officer faces Met disciplinary hearing – The Guardian

“The police officer cleared of killing Ian Tomlinson on the fringes of the G20 protests in London will this week face further scrutiny into his conduct through an internal Metropolitan police disciplinary hearing which, unusually, will be held in public. It will be only the second time such an internal police hearing will take place in the open since a 2008 law gave the Independent Police Complaints Commission powers to compel this in instances with particular public interest.”

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The Guardian, 16th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hillsborough disaster: West Yorkshire police chief referred to IPCC – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2012 in complaints, conspiracy, news, police, professional conduct, reports, sport by sally

“Police watchdog to investigate Sir Norman Bettison after independent report alleges ‘black propaganda’ campaign by senior officers.”

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The Guardian, 15th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Flintshire paramedic not unfairly dismissed for “tapping” woman – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2012 in armed forces, news, paramedics, professional conduct, tribunals, unfair dismissal by tracey

“A paramedic who allegedly slapped an elderly patient three times across the face was not unfairly dismissed, a tribunal has ruled.”

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BBC News, 12th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BSB chastised over ‘bad’ misconduct findings – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 7th, 2012 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct, tribunals by tracey

“The first barrister to set up a legal disciplinary practice has overturned her convictions for breaching Bar Standards Board codes on conducting litigation in a public access case.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th September 2012

Source: www.gazette.co.uk

Tracking changes to legal ethics – LSB research suggests the way ahead – Legal Services Board

Posted September 5th, 2012 in legal profession, Legal Services Board, news, professional conduct, reports by sally

“The Legal Services Board today publishes a report by a team led by Professor Richard Moorhead of University College, Director of the Centre for Ethics and Law at London, outlining how professional ethics in the legal sector may be tracked over time. The LSB commissioned the research to support the ongoing evaluation of the impact of the Legal Services Act 2007.”

Full story (PDF)

Legal Services Board, 5th September 2012

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Related link: Designing Ethics Indicators for Legal Services Provision (PDF)

Ian Tomlinson pathologist Dr Freddy Patel struck off – BBC News

“The pathologist who conducted the first post-mortem tests on a man who died in 2009’s G20 protests in London has been struck off the medical register.”

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BBC News, 23rd August 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ian Tomlinson pathologist brought profession into disrepute, tribunal finds – The Guardian

“Dr Freddy Patel acted with ‘deficient professional performance’ over his postmortem investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests, a medical tribunal has concluded.”

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The Guardian, 21st August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fall in reported rapes ‘shows victims’ lack of confidence in Met’s sex crime unit’ – The Guardian

Posted August 20th, 2012 in complaints, inquiries, news, police, professional conduct, prosecutions, rape, victims by sally

“The number of rapes being reported to Scotland Yard has fallen significantly amid claims of crumbling confidence among victims towards the Met’s specialist sex crimes operation, Sapphire.”

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The Guardian, 19th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dr Freddy Patel labelled ‘misleading’ over Tomlinson case – BBC News

“A disciplinary panel says the pathologist who conducted the first post-mortem examination on Ian Tomlinson is ‘dishonest’ and ‘liable to bring his profession into disrepute’.”

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BBC News, 13th August 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar victory over ‘cab rank’ rule – Law Society’s Gazette

“Changes to the ‘cab rank’ rule approved last week will pave the way for new standard contractual terms between solicitors and barristers.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd August 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk