A culture of fear? – Legal Futures

Posted April 12th, 2017 in disciplinary procedures, mental health, news, solicitors by sally

‘A newly published survey by the Law Society Junior Lawyer’s Division (JLD) has found that extreme stress affects a quarter of young lawyers. This highlights a worrying trend that we have been tracking for some time: young solicitors unable to cope and lacking proper support from their employers.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 12th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Dean Collins guilty over Joseph Smith’s crash death – BBC News

Posted April 12th, 2017 in dangerous driving, drug abuse, news by sally

‘The driver of a car involved in a head-on crash which killed his five-year-old stepson has been found guilty of causing his death by dangerous driving.’

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BBC News, 11th April 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK supreme court denies tobacco firms permission for plain packaging appeal – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2017 in appeals, health, news, smoking, Supreme Court by sally

‘All cigarettes sold in the UK must have standardised packaging from next month after the supreme court refused permission to the tobacco industry to appeal against the new laws.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government given 21 days to explain climate change failures or face legal action – The Independent

Posted April 12th, 2017 in budgets, climate change, delay, energy, government departments, news, pollution by sally

‘Environmental lawyers at campaign group ClientEarth set deadline amid concern over repeated delays to publication of Government’s key plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.’

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The Independent, 11th April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Selfridges ad of ‘thin’ model cleared by watchdog – BBC News

Posted April 12th, 2017 in advertising, complaints, news by sally

‘A fashion advert for Selfridges has been cleared by the advertising watchdog following a complaint the model in it looked “unhealthily thin”.’

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BBC News, 12th April 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Homeless man guilty of murdering hotel worker under M4 bridge – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2017 in murder, news by sally

‘A homeless man is facing life in prison for snatching a hotel housekeeper under a motorway bridge, sexually assaulting and murdering her.’

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The Guardian, 11th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watchdog queries scope of rules on ‘profiling’ under the GDPR – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 12th, 2017 in data protection, EC law, news by sally

‘It is not clear how broad in scope new rules on “profiling” under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are, the UK’s data protection watchdog has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th April 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 11th, 2017 in legislation by sally

The European Union Financial Sanctions (Enhanced Penalties) Regulations 2017

The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Jehovah’s Witnesses lose appeal to block New Moston inquiry – Law & Religion UK

‘In Tayo & Ors (Trustees of Manchester New Moston Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses) v Charity Commission for England and Wales [2017] UKUT 134 (TCC), the trustees of Manchester New Moston Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses lost their appeal against the First Tier Tribunal’s refusal in 2015 – which we noted at the time – to review the Charity Commission’s decision to open a statutory inquiry into the charity under s 46 Charities Act 2011.’

Full story

Law & Religion UK, 5th April 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Tribunal judge overturns listing of allotment site as an asset of community value – OUT-LAW.com

‘A tribunal has overturned the listing of an allotment site in Lancashire as an asset of community value (ACV), on the grounds that nearby housing development makes it “highly unrealistic” that the site will ever be used as allotments again.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th April 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Man who torched dream home after row with building society is jailed – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2017 in arson, building societies, mortgages, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who set fire to his dream rural retreat after a bitter dispute with a building society was found strumming a guitar and cooking on a barbecue next to the burning building by firefighters who arrived to help.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Somebody else’s money – Nearly Legal

‘Ms Oliver was the long leaseholder in a block of flats on the Lansdowne Estate, which was owned by the Council. The Council carried out city wide major works, which included works on the Lansdown Estate. Some of the works were eligible for a contribution from a commercial energy company as part of the Community Energy Savings Programme (“CESP”). In total 15 of the 25 blocks on the Lansdowne Estate were eligible to receive CESP funding. The contribution to Ms Oliver’s block was £43,570.44. The Council decided not to pass the CESP directly to the leaseholders as a set off against their service charge contributions. Rather, the Council decided to attribute the money to the funding of works to its city-wide housing stock. The effect of this was that every leaseholder’s service charge was reduced irrespective of whether their block had been entitled to CESP funding.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 10th April 2017

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Appeal warns judges against interrupting witness evidence too much – Litigation Futures

‘The Chancellor of the High Court has urged judges to “temper eagerness with restraint” in the way they conduct trials, after a circuit judge was found to have made excessive interventions while witnesses were giving evidence.’

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Litigation Futures, 10th April 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Shared legal service terminated after requirements of partner councils change – Local Government Lawyer

‘The shared legal service between Spelthorne Borough Council and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council came to an end last month after three years, it has emerged.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th April 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Blood contamination tore my family apart’ – BBC News

Posted April 11th, 2017 in blood products, health, HIV, inquiries, medical treatment, news by sally

‘Thousands of people with haemophilia were infected with HIV and hepatitis as a result of NHS treatments in the 1970s and 80s. But their families are still seeking a public inquiry into the scandal.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th April 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BREXIT: Banks told to show Brexit plans to PRA – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 11th, 2017 in banking, brexit, EC law, financial regulation, news, treaties by sally

‘The Bank of England has written to UK financial services firms asking them to send a summary of their contingency plans for Brexit to the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) by July.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th April 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Cuts to legal aid for prisoners ruled unlawful – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2017 in appeals, equality, legal aid, legal representation, news, prisons by sally

‘The government has lost a key court of appeal battle over access to legal aid for prisoners in a ruling that campaigners have called a groundbreaking victory.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EVENT: Gresham College – Expert Witnesses: A Zero-Sum Game?

Posted April 11th, 2017 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The use of experts in the family courts can make a significant difference to outcomes. The debate about the use of experts in court cases reflects the conflicted stance society takes on the emotive issue of child protection. It is a gross injustice to the child and parent for social workers, backed by ‘expert’ opinion, to wrongly remove children but it is equally unacceptable for vulnerable children to be left at home to suffer abuse.’

Date: 12th April 2017, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: Barnard’s Inn Hall

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

Whistleblowing: Would you blow the whistle on your boss? What protections do you get? – The Independent

Posted April 11th, 2017 in arson, banking, disclosure, financial regulation, news, whistleblowers by sally

‘Some people may prefer the quiet life choosing not to rock the boat unless they really have to. Others could feel that the only correct thing to do is to spill the beans.’

Full story

The Independent, 10th April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Death at immigration detention centre comes under investigation – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2017 in death in custody, detention, immigration, news by sally

‘An investigation has been launched into the death of a 43-year-old man in an immigration removal centre on Sunday, the Home Office has confirmed.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk