Zero-hours contracts used far beyond short-term work, research says – The Guardian

Posted September 8th, 2016 in contract of employment, employment, flexible working, news by sally

‘More than two-thirds of zero-hours workers aged over 25 have been with the same employer for more than a year, highlighting concerns that the insecure arrangements have become a permanent feature of working life for thousands of people.’

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The Guardian, 8th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Hillsborough Law’ drafted by victims’ families’ legal team – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2016 in bills, inquests, inquiries, news, police by sally

‘Lawyers for the relatives of 96 people who died at Hillsborough have drafted a new law to compel public officials to tell the truth at inquiries.’

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BBC News, 8th September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Britain’s weirdest laws: carpet beating, MPs in armour and carrying ladders – The Guardian

Posted September 8th, 2016 in legislation, news, reports by sally

‘A list of the 10 most bizarre British laws has been compiled by a Cambridge researcher to highlight the complexity and antiquity of statutes that remain in force.’

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The Guardian, 8th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal representation in care proceedings under review – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 7th, 2016 in care orders, children, family courts, legal representation, news by sally

‘A government review into representation of children in public law cases could lead to lawyers being removed at certain stages in proceedings.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 5th September 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lord Chancellor expresses delight at action taken against “ambulance chasing” law firm – Legal Futures

Posted September 7th, 2016 in human rights, law firms, legal education, lord chancellor, news, parliament by sally

‘The new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice used her first appearance in the House of Commons to label Birmingham law firm Public Interest Lawyers as “ambulance chasers”.’

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Legal Futures, 7th September 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Data protection and Brexit – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 7th, 2016 in brexit, data protection, EC law, news, referendums, regulations by sally

‘UK data controllers are already grappling with the biggest change to EU protection in 20 years.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 5th September 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Reforming the offence of misconduct in public office – Law Commission

‘The law that governs misconduct in public office is unclear, ambiguous and in need of reform, according to the Law Commission, independent law reform adviser to the Government.’

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Law Commission, 5th September 2016

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Attorney General Jeremy Wright speech to the Cambridge Symposium on Economic Crime – Attorney General’s Office

Posted September 7th, 2016 in attorney general, crime, news, speeches by sally

‘The Attorney General on the threat faced today [5 September] from economic crime and how the UK Government is addressing it.’

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Attorney General’s Office, 5th September 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Bar takes next step towards ABS licensing – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 7th, 2016 in alternative business structures, barristers, licensing, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board has announced a new step towards becoming a licensing body for alternative business structures by beginning the process of picking intervention agents. The regulator’s long-standing ambition to handle ABSs was approved by the Legal Services Board in March this year but the body is still awaiting formal designation by the lord chancellor.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th September 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law Commission consults on reform to law on misconduct in public office – Local Government Lawyer

‘The law on misconduct in public office is “unclear, ambiguous and in need of reform”, the Law Commission has said, issuing a consultation paper on a new statutory offence.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th September 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law centres to challenge rights helpline contract – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 7th, 2016 in equality, human rights, law centres, news, telecommunications, tenders by sally

‘The Law Centres Network has threatened to seek judicial review of the government’s decision to award the contract for operating a discrimination helpline to security contractor G4S.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th September 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘I needed my voice to be heard’: readers on restorative justice – The Guardian

Posted September 7th, 2016 in news, restorative justice, victims by sally

‘From victims to facilitators, here’s what some of our readers said about their experiences.’

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The Guardian, 7th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Homeless young offenders’ housing criticised by report – BBC News

Posted September 7th, 2016 in children, homelessness, housing, local government, news, reports, young offenders by sally

‘A third of homeless 16 and 17-year-old offenders in England and Wales are being placed in unsafe or unsuitable accommodation, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 7th September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anjem Choudary jailed for five-and-a-half years for urging support of Isis – The Guardian

Posted September 7th, 2016 in freedom of expression, news, proscribed organisations, sentencing, terrorism by sally

‘Anjem Choudary, who preached hate over two decades with seeming impunity from legal punishment, has been jailed for five years and six months for his activities to support Islamic State.’

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The Guardian, 6th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Financial Ombudsman still receiving thousands of PPI complaints – The Guardian

Posted September 6th, 2016 in complaints, financial regulation, financial services ombudsman, news by sally

‘The £37bn bill for payment protection insurance mis-selling by Britain’s banks is likely to escalate further after the Financial Ombudsman revealed that it continues to be inundated with complaints.’

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The Guardian, 6th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Drones: flightpath to the future? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 6th, 2016 in aircraft, data protection, insurance, news, privacy, regulations by sally

‘Drones are rapidly being seen as a feature of the near future, because of the dramatic rise in their private use in the UK.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 5th September 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

The Archers trial: verdicts from the lawyer, the counsellor and the prison expert – The Guardian

Posted September 6th, 2016 in attempted murder, attempts, BBC, domestic violence, media, murder, news by sally

‘The dramatic trial of Helen Titchener for the attempted murder of her husband is finally under way. How is her barrister performing; is Helen’s predicament true to life; and what will prison be like, if she is convicted?’

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The Guardian, 5th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council raises fundamental concerns about CPD scheme shortly before launch – Legal Futures

Posted September 6th, 2016 in barristers, consultations, continuing professional development, news by sally

‘The Bar Council has slammed the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) forthcoming continuing professional development (CPD) regime as being burdensome, complicated, unfit for purpose, and involving “pointless” self-assessment.’

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Legal Futures, 6th September 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Home Office imposes illegal working fines of £14 million on small businesses in 3 month period – Free Movement

Posted September 6th, 2016 in employment, fines, immigration, news, small businesses by sally

‘The Home Office has imposed fines on small businesses for employing illegal workers of over £14 million in just a three month period. The period covered is January to March 2016. The list of businesses targeted by officials appears to include mainly small ethnic minority shops and takeaways. It is unknown how many of those businesses were forced to close as a result.’

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Free Movement, 6th September 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Drug driving: how has new legislation been working? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 6th, 2016 in dangerous driving, drug abuse, fines, medicines, news, sentencing, statistics by sally

‘In March 2015 new legislation was introduced to specifically tackle drug driving. Prior to that date it had been an offence to drive a vehicle whilst unfit to do so through drink or drugs and this offence remains. Whilst this offence still remains the prosecution would need to prove that driving was impaired. The new legislation made it an offence to drive with eight prescription medications above a prescribed limit and with eight illegal substances. In order to assist police in implementing this offence “drugalysers” were also introduced making it possible for police to test for cocaine and cannabis at the road side using a saliva test. The detection of all other substances requires a blood sample to be taken.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 5th September 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk