Law in a Time of Crisis by Jonathan Sumption review – beyond the lockdown sceptic – The Guardian
‘The former judge and renowned historian loses his cool on Covid and the culture wars.’
The Guardian, 3rd March 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Category: universities
Free speech in Universities – Monckton Chambers
‘Free speech in Universities, or the lack thereof, is in the spotlight. On 16 February 2021, it is was reported in the mainstream media that the government is to bring forward legislation that will enable academics, students or visiting students who are “no-platformed” to sue universities for compensation where they feel they have suffered because their right to free speech has been curtailed. Apparently, the proposal is one of a number which will be put forward by the Secretary of State for Education, in order to protect free speech in universities in England. The Guardian reported that “the government wants to introduce a statutory tort for breaches of the free speech duty, which would enable academic staff or students who have been expelled, dismissed or demoted to seek redress through the courts.” The government is also proposing to appoint a “free speech champion”, who will be responsible for investigating potential infringements of free speech in the higher education sector.’
Monckton Chambers, 17th February 2021
Source: www.monckton.com
Proposed free speech law will make English universities liable for breaches – The Guardian
‘The government is to introduce legislation that will enable academics, students or visiting speakers who are no-platformed to sue universities for compensation where they feel they have suffered because of free speech infringements.’
The Guardian, 16th February 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
A cheaper route to qualifying? ULaw unveils SQE pricing – Legal Futures
‘The University of Law (ULaw) has unveiled a range of courses to prepare students for Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), costing from £500 to £16,500 – the latter being little different from the legal practice course (LPC).’
Legal Futures, 10th February 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Law conversion course applications jump by nearly a quarter since pandemic – The Guardian
‘According to the Central Applications Board (CAB), applications for the GDL increased by 22.5% from 2019 to 2020. Numbers are rising and providers say it’s down to Covid. “We have had a bumper GDL intake this year, which I reckon is our highest intake for years,” says Tony Storey, programme leader at Northumbria University.
The Guardian, 15th December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
BAILII grants access to judgments for mass AI analysis – Law Society’s Gazette
‘England and Wales court judgments are for the first time being opened to mass analysis by artificial intelligence, the Gazette can reveal. Under an agreement announced today, the British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII) has granted academics at Oxford University bulk access to its database of 400,000 judgments for research purposes.’
Law Society's Gazette, 14th December 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Students may be compensated for lost teaching during UK lockdown – The Guardian
‘Students could be awarded financial compensation for lost teaching time during the Covid-19 lockdown after the higher education complaints watchdog told an institution to pay £1,000 to an international student.’
The Guardian, 26th November 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
University of Law fails to block trade mark in dispute with former student – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The University of Law has lost major elements of a trade mark dispute against a start-up that helps teenagers get into law school, after claiming the branding could damage its reputation.’
Law Society's Gazette, 5th November 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Coronavirus: Students fined £200 over party at university halls – The Independent
‘Two students have been fined £200 each following an illegal party in a university’s halls of residence, West Midlands Police has said.’
The Independent, 3rd October 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
English universities must consider partial fee refunds, says regulator – The Guardian
‘Universities in England must consider refunding some tuition fees, their regulator has said as it emerged that lawyers are challenging the legal basis of a two-week lockdown of 1,700 students in Manchester.’
The Guardian, 28th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Oxford Union: Blind student removed from debate compensated – BBC News
‘A blind student who was “violently” removed from the Oxford Union debating society has been paid compensation.’
BBC News, 2nd September 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
A-level Students Consider Legal Action Over Downgrade ‘Discrimination’ – Each Other
‘The government could face legal action over the mass downgrading of A-level results in England, with affected students saying they feel discriminated against over their school’s track-record.’
Each Other, 13th August 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
Students lodge formal complaint against BPP alleging City favouritism – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A multifaceted complaint against legal educator BPP from students on its postgraduate solicitor programmes was formally submitted today.’
Law Society's Gazette, 11th August 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Parents of student who killed herself launch legal action against University of Bristol – The Guardian
‘The parents of a student with severe social anxiety who took her own life on the day she was scheduled to face “the ordeal” of an important oral test have launched legal proceedings against her university, claiming she was the victim of negligence and disability discrimination.’
The Guardian, 20th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Ellie Mitten and Sophie Phillips discuss whether schools and universities are offering ‘reasonable’ alternatives and the meaning of the recent guidance. – Park Square Barristers
‘As the lockdown has progressed, it has become evident that the remote learning services being offered are of differing standards between institutions, with some offering services which are far superior to others. This is particularly so in the case of independent schools. Some independent schools are effectively offering pupils a full timetable, with plenty of contact time with teachers and opportunities to review work and consolidate learning. In contrast, other schools are offering little to no contact time with teachers – disseminating worksheets or PowerPoint presentations, but expecting parents to supervise and effectively teach topics, or for the child to be able to learn independently.’
Park Square Barristers, 4th June 2020
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
Universities Investigate Adverts On Channel 4 Show That ‘Dehumanised’ Traveller Community – Each Other
‘Three universities are investigating how their adverts appeared on a Channel 4 documentary accused of “dehumanising” the Traveller community.’
Each Other, 11th June 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
ASA upholds legal training company’s complaint about competitor – Legal Futures
‘A company that trains foreign lawyers to qualify as solicitors has successfully complained about a competitor that claimed to be the number one provider.’
Legal Futures, 30th April 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Package Travel and Educational Institutions – 39 Essex Chambers
‘Is a field trip provided by a university to undergraduates as part of a degree course a package tour? The court considered the question in McCulloch v University of Leicester (HHJ Hedley, 27 February 2020).’
39 Essex Chambers, 8th April 2020
Source: www.39essex.com
Oxford dean accused of failing to report child sexual assault claim – The Guardian
‘The head of a prestigious Oxford college has been accused of failing to disclose an allegation of sexual assault of a minor to police or safeguarding officials.’
The Guardian, 4th March 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
