Commercial property: Restrictive covenants – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 22nd, 2017 in insurance, local government, London, news, planning, restrictive covenants, tribunals by sally

‘There are few cases so iconic that lawyers remember the names long after university or law school. One is Tulk v Moxhay [1848], the case on the restrictive covenants which have prevented building on Leicester Square. The date of that case demonstrates that well-drafted restrictive covenants on land are an effective way of controlling development of land indefinitely. However, not all restrictions are worthy of preservation, so the Law of Property Act 1925 contains in section 84 a mechanism for the release of land from restrictive covenants in certain circumstances.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 20th November 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

CDM Decision and Penalty: Re Huntley (2) – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 15th, 2017 in Church of England, clergy, disciplinary procedures, fraud, insurance, news, tribunals by tracey

‘On 1 November 2017, the Church of England Document Library posted Huntley 2, the Decision and Penalty of the Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Durham between Mr Andrew Thurston (Complainant) and The Reverend David George Huntley (Respondent). This followed the Tribunal’s earlier Decision, May 2016, and Decision (Appeal) and Order in August 2016, which concerned the same clergyman but on a significantly different matter.’

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Law & Religion UK, 15th November 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

SDT issues unprecedented rebuke of SRA over Locke Lord case comments – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2017 in fines, law firms, media, news, privacy, Solicitors Regulation Authority, tribunals by tracey

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has made unprecedented public criticism of the Solicitors Regulation Authority over how it presented last week’s decision to fine US law firm Locke Lord a record £500,000.’

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Legal Futures, 13th November 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Local authority wins tribunal case over student accommodation and council tax – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Valuation Tribunal has dismissed an appeal by a student accommodation provider over the application of council tax exemptions to student flats.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th October 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tribunal refuses to force council to disclose legal advice over costs of employment case involving mayor – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 25th, 2017 in costs, disclosure, indemnities, local government, news, privilege, tribunals by michael

‘A member of the public has failed in a bid to force Liverpool City Council to disclose the legal advice behind its decision to pay the costs incurred by elected mayor Joe Anderson in an unfair dismissal case.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th October 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Competition Appeal Tribunal decision to refuse biggest-ever class action “not susceptible to appeal” – Litigation Futures

Posted October 5th, 2017 in appeals, class actions, competition, consumer credit, news, tribunals by tracey

‘The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has refused solicitor Walter Merricks permission to appeal its decision to deny him a collective proceedings order (CPO) that would allow him bring a £14bn action against Mastercard on behalf of 46m people.’

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Litigation Futures, 4th October 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Consultation launched into new right of appeal at Investigatory Powers Tribunal – Home Office

Posted October 3rd, 2017 in appeals, consultations, investigatory powers, news, tribunals by sally

‘A public consultation on draft rules governing proceedings at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has been launched today [29 September] by Security Minister Ben Wallace.’

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Home Office, 29th September 2017

Source: www.gov.uk

Legal Services Board told not to force lower disciplinary standard of proof “through the back door” – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has been warned against trying to force the introduction of the civil standard of proof in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) without proper consultation.’

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Legal Futures, 29th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Council agrees to review 500+ benefit applications after tribunal appeal delays – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 28th, 2017 in appeals, benefits, delay, news, social security, tribunals by sally

‘A city council has agreed to review more than 500 benefit applications after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found delays in its appeals process.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

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

Software tools can benefit from VAT exemption, rules UK Tribunal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 19th, 2017 in computer programs, EC law, news, tribunals, VAT by tracey

‘A software tool can qualify for a VAT exemption, the UK’s First Tier Tribunal has ruled, rejecting arguments from HMRC that the provision of IT tools cannot benefit from an exemption in the EU VAT Directive.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th September 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Council wins test appeal case against lettings agency ‘administration fees’ – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 19th, 2017 in appeals, fees, landlord & tenant, local government, news, tribunals by tracey

‘Camden Council has successfully appealed to the Upper Tribunal against a leading estate agency, Foxtons, using the term “administration fees” in their lettings agency work.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law firm faces £68,000 VAT bill after tribunal rules electronic property search fees are not disbursements – Legal Futures

‘A leading north-west law firm has been ordered to pay £68,000 in VAT for electronic local authority property searches it procured from an agency, after a tribunal ruled that they should not have been treated as disbursements.’

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Legal Futures, 18th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judges order fresh hearing in row over damage caused by protected tree – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 13th, 2017 in appeals, compensation, local government, news, trees, tribunals by tracey

‘The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) must reconsider a case in which it awarded compensation of £25,000 against South Gloucestershire Council over damage caused by an oak made subject to a tree preservation order (TPO), the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.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

Speech by Judge Mark Hinchliffe – Compulsory mental health treatment: When should judges get involved? – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted August 31st, 2017 in consent, judges, mental health, speeches, tribunals by tracey

‘Speech by Judge Mark Hinchliffe – Compulsory mental health treatment: When should judges get involved?.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 29th August 2017

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Connor Sparrowhawk mother attacks ‘barbaric’ treatment by tribunal – The Guardian

Posted August 29th, 2017 in bereavement, health, mental health, news, psychiatric damage, tribunals by tracey

‘The mother of a vulnerable teenager who suffered a seizure and drowned in a bath at an NHS care unit has called for an overhaul of medical tribunals, saying she felt “retraumatised” after participating in a two-week hearing into her son’s death.’

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The Guardian, 29th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Collective (in)action? The CAT’s recent judgments on collective proceedings orders – Blackstone Chambers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in appeals, class actions, competition, news, tribunals by sally

‘At first glance, two recent judgments from the CAT may give the impression that the new UK class action regime is dead in the water. However, on closer inspection there is much in these judgments that prospective claimants will welcome.

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Blackstone Chambers, 7th August 2017

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

JLK Limited v Emmanuel Chiedu Ezekwe (and others) [2017] UKUT 277 (LC) – Tanfield Chambers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in appeals, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, service charges, tribunals by sally

‘The Upper Tribunal upheld the First Tier Tribunal’s decision that units of accommodation designed for students were ‘dwellings’, but overturned the decision that such units were ‘separate dwellings’. As such, the FTT did not have jurisdiction to determine the amount of service charges payable by the units’ leaseholders under sections 18 to 30 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 31st July 2017

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

CAT on a Hot Tin Roof: The implications for group actions of the MasterCard decision – Henderson Chambers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in appeals, class actions, competition, damages, news, tribunals by sally

‘On 21 July, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) issued its decision dismissing an application for a collective proceedings order (“CPO”) in the MasterCard litigation (Walter Merricks v MasterCard Inc & ors [2017] CAT 16). It is a decision whose significance goes beyond the fact that it is a further illustration of the difficulties of advancing opt-out class actions. It remains the case that, despite nearly two years having elapsed since implementation of schedule 8 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, no CPO has been made, nor is one likely to be made at any time soon. Whilst the decision is subject to Mr Merricks’ right of appeal, this alerter briefly considers the implications for the management of class actions. In very broad terms, the decision underlines the requirements of a high level of precision and a sound and principled evidential basis in relation to: (1) the definition of the class; (2) the calculation of aggregate class damages; (3) the means for distributing damages within the class; and (4) the elements of a funding agreement.’

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Henderson Chambers, 25th July 2017

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk