JUSTICE proposes lawyer-free dispute resolution model – Legal Voice

‘A new dispute resolution model ‘minimising the need for lawyers’ for a justice system ‘reeling from the impact of ongoing state retrenchment’, has been proposed by the Human rights group JUSTICE. In a new report (Delivering Justice in an Age of Austerity) the human rights group argues that the assumption that people will be legally represented post-LASPO is redundant.’

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Legal Voice, 28th April 2015

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Fairness in the courts: the best we can do – Speech by Lord Neuberger

Fairness in the courts: the best we can do (PDF)

Speech by Lord Neuberger

Supreme Court, 10th April 2015

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Alison Young: R (Evans) v Attorney General [2015] UKSC 21 – the Anisminic of the 21st Century? – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘On Thursday 26th March the Supreme Court concluded, to the delight of The Guardian and the dismay of the Prime Minister, that communications between Prince Charles and government Ministers – the so-called ‘black spider memos’ – should be released. This has been a long saga, involving issues of freedom of information, discussion of constitutional conventions surrounding the behaviour of a Monarch in training, which now also includes the principle of legality and the nature of the relationship between parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law. Such a cornucopia of delights for constitutional lawyers guarantees that the case has earned its place in the ‘Constitutional law Case list Hall of Fame’, with the promise of further delight as the memos, once released and savoured, cast an insight into the relationship between the Crown and the Government.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 31st March 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Attorney General defends government’s record on rule of law, including JR reform – Litigation Futures

Posted February 26th, 2015 in attorney general, judicial review, news, rule of law, speeches by sally

The government has “stood up for the rule of law” and should be proud of its record, the Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, has argued, in a strongly-worded speech on the last day of the Global Law Summit.

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Litigation Futures, 26th February 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Britain is leading the charge against basic human rights, Amnesty claims – The Independent

‘Increased surveillance in Britain, along with the reduction of access to justice, have contributed to one of the worst assaults on human rights in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall, according to a damning assessment by Amnesty International.’

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The Independent, 25th February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law chief marks Magna Carta with fierce attack on Cameron – The Independent

‘Britain’s chief criminal barrister will tear into David Cameron and past governments for treating public law “with contempt”, at a lavish £1,750-a-ticket government-backed conference tomorrow marking the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.’

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The Independent, 22nd February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal and the rule of law – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Despite being hailed as an ‘historic victory in the age-old battle for the right to privacy and free expression’, closer examination of a recent ruling by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (‘IPT’) reveals it to have been a hollow victory.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th February 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom Constitution – Lecture by Lady Hale

The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom Constitution (PDF)

Lecture by Lady Hale

The Bryce Lecture, 5th February 2015

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

The Magna Carta explained – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 2nd, 2015 in human rights, legal history, magna carta, news, rule of law by sally

‘As the four original surviving copies of the Magna Carta are brought together under the same roof for the first time, here is a Q&A about the document.’

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Access To Justice Effective Remedy And Rule Of Law: The Adequacy Of Judicial Review – No. 5 Chambers

‘The ideal judge is a supremely intelligent woman. She is especially empathetic. She has limitless expertise in every field and infinite patience. We can trust her to do right. She is perfect justice. Lets place her on a pedestal.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 16th December 2014

Source: www.no5.com

Human rights – have they gone too far? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 12th, 2014 in human rights, news, rule of law by sally

‘Type the words “have human rights …” into Google and it automatically suggests “… gone too far[?]”.

This isn’t a surprise: for many people human rights, as set out in the Human Rights Act 1998, are a byword for reckless absurdity. It is a villains’ charter which cares not a jot for law-abiding citizens.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th December 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Lawyers and their Regulators: What Next? – Nicholas Lavender QC, Chairman of the Bar Council

Lawyers and their Regulators: What Next? (PDF)

Nicholas Lavender QC, Chairman of the Bar Council

The Bar Council, 24th November 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

The Judiciary, the Executive and Parliament: Relationships and the Rule of Law – Speech by Lord Chief Justice

The Judiciary, the Executive and Parliament: Relationships and the Rule of Law (PDF)

Speech by Lord Chief Justice

Institute for Government, 1st December 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Conor Gearty: On Fantasy Island: British politics, English judges and the European Convention on Human Rights – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘My first encounter with the fantasies that underpin English public law came in the 1980s. I had just starting teaching constitutional law and was taking my first year students through Dicey: the independent rule of law; the availability of remedies to all, without fear or favour; the common law’s marvellous protection of civil liberties; how great we were, how terrible the continent; and all the rest of it. Outside the classroom, striking miners were being routinely beaten up by the police, their picketing disrupted by road blocks, their liberty eroded by mass bail conditions. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was having its marches banned and its protests inhibited by ‘no-go’ areas arbitrarily erected by the police around American bases into which it had been decided to move a new generation of nuclear weapons. Some of my students were even beaten up themselves, on a march against education cuts in London – much to their surprise given what I was teaching them.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 13th November 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Dinah Rose QC: “Give MPs a constitution crash course” – The Lawyer

Posted October 30th, 2014 in barristers, constitutional law, human rights, news, parliament, rule of law, speeches by sally

‘New Members of Parliament should be given training on the constitution and the rule of law, one of the UK’s most prominent barristers has suggested.’

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The Lawyer, 29th October 2014

Source: www.thelawyer.com

“UK must not think only of itself”: Massacre families urge UK not to leave ECHR – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 24th, 2014 in human rights, news, rule of law by sally

‘The Conservative Party’s proposals to introduce a British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities that would weaken the UK’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – and the legal chaos that would ensue if it was ever enacted – have been hotly debated. The proposal makes clear that if the Council of Europe was to reject the UK’s unilateral move, as it would be bound to, the UK ‘would be left with no alternative but to withdraw’ from the Convention.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th October 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Grayling ‘has no understanding of his role’ – Falconer – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Former lord chancellor Lord Falconer has attacked successor Chris Grayling for failing to view his commitment to the rule of law as different to that of any other government minister.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd October 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lord Chancellor should be “very senior lawyer” – Legal Futures

Posted October 17th, 2014 in barristers, judiciary, lord chancellor, news, parliament, rule of law by sally

‘The Lord Chancellor should be a “very senior lawyer”, Nicholas Lavender QC, chairman of the Bar Council, has said. Justice secretary Chris Grayling told the House of Lords constitution committee this week that there were “no disadvantages” to the Lord Chancellor being, like him, a non-lawyer.’

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Legal Futures, 17th October 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Rule of Law and the Future of the Sector – Attorney General’s Office

‘Attorney General speech to London Law Expos on the UK’s long commitment to the Rule of Law.’

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Attorney General’s Office, 14th October 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

The Supreme Court and the Rule of Law – Speech by Lord Neuberger

The Supreme Court and the Rule of Law (PDF)

Lord Neuberger

The Conkerton Lecture 2014, Liverpool Law Society, 9th October 2014

Source: www.supremecourt.uk