Challenges to ‘austerity’ cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lincolnshire County Council has recently undergone two legal challenges to its proposals for redesigning its library service in the light of ‘increasing budgetary constraints’.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Malayan killings families lose UK Supreme Court appeal – BBC News

‘Relatives of 24 rubber plantation workers killed by British troops almost 70 years ago in Malaya have lost an appeal for an official investigation.’

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BBC News, 25th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Are firms discriminating against you because of age? Here’s how to check – Daily Telegraph

‘We look at how the ombudsman deals with complaints about age discrimination.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal profession welcomes unbundling decision – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 25th, 2015 in appeals, budgets, duty of care, fees, legal aid, negligence, news, personal injuries, solicitors by sally

‘Court of Appeal ruling that solicitors may offer ‘unbundled’ services without being held liable for matters beyond those in their client retainer has been widely welcomed by the profession. ‘

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

FCA launches investigation into insurance companies which ‘snoop’ on customers – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 25th, 2015 in consumer protection, inquiries, insurance, internet, news, ombudsmen, privacy by sally

‘The regulatory body said insurers are going to great lengths to harvest personal data.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family ADR boosted by new guidance – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Sir James Munby, president of the Family Division, has issued guidance on arbitration in the family court in a move which could encourage more lawyers to view alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as a viable option.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

After Cavendish Square/ParkingEye, is it more or less likely to be a penalty? – Employment Law Blog

Posted November 25th, 2015 in appeals, news, parking, penalties, Supreme Court by sally

‘Reports of the decision of the Supreme Court in the joined appeals in Cavendish Square and ParkingEye left me confused because some reckoned the decision represented a narrowing of the application of the penalty doctrine whilst others considered it had expanded the doctrine’s scope. So on a wet weekend afternoon I took hold of a copy of the Judgment – [2015] UKSC 67- and tasked myself to find out. Here is what I found.’

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Employment Law Blog, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.employment11kbw.com

Reprimand and fine for barrister who admitted talking to jurors after trial – Legal Futures

‘A barrister who admitted that he had talked to jurors at Basildon Railway Station after a trial has been reprimanded and fined £300 by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Removal of consultation options over housing estate “unlawful”: High Court – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 25th, 2015 in consultations, housing, local government, news, planning, public interest by sally

‘A High Court judge has ruled that a London borough’s decision to stop consulting on refurbishment options for a housing estate and focus on regeneration alone was unlawful.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th November 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Senior British judges decide if DNA evidence can ‘uncover affair’ and settle Scottish hereditary title dispute – Daily Telegraph

‘Norman Murray Pringle, an accountant living in High Wycombe, is attempting to prove his aristocratic entitlement as the next baronet of Stichill.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jon Venables’ prison officer admits selling stories at retrial – BBC News

Posted November 25th, 2015 in appeals, disclosure, media, misfeasance in public office, news, prison officers by sally

‘An ex-prison officer admitted selling stories to newspapers about James Bulger killer Jon Venables despite a previous conviction being quashed.’

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BBC News, 24th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council and ABI join calls for permanent exemption from LASPO for insolvency cases – Litigation Futures

Posted November 24th, 2015 in barristers, fees, insolvency, insurance, news by sally

‘The Bar Council and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) have added their voices to calls from business organisations for a permanent exemption for insolvency cases from the provisions of LASPO.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Is it lawful to detain immigration detainees in prisons? – Free Movement

Posted November 24th, 2015 in appeals, detention, human rights, illegality, immigration, news, prisons by sally

‘The Court of Appeal says “yes”, it is generally lawful to detain immigration detainees in prisons rather than detention centres. The case is R (On the Application Of Idira) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] EWCA Civ 1187 and the Court rules that there is no principle that administrative immigration detention in prison generally breaches Article 5(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to liberty. In giving judgment, though, the Master of the Rolls acknowledges that “detention in an IRC is generally more appropriate for immigrant detainees than detention in prison”.’

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Free Movement, 24th November 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Lord’s Prayer: What are the rules on religious adverts? – BBC News

Posted November 24th, 2015 in advertising, Church of England, codes of practice, news by sally

‘Leading UK cinemas are refusing to screen a Church of England commercial reciting the Lord’s Prayer. But what are the rules on religious advertising, asks Justin Parkinson.’

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BBC News, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Failure of QC appointment system to deliver diversity “should cast doubt on future of status” – Legal Futures

Posted November 24th, 2015 in barristers, diversity, news, queen's counsel, women by sally

‘Abolishing the status of QC should now be seriously considered in the light of research that shows male Oxbridge-educated junior barristers from London-based chambers are still far more likely to take silk, according to a new study by the London School of Economics and Political Science.’

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Legal Futures, 24th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Poor quality advocacy is endangering youth justice – Legal Voice

Posted November 24th, 2015 in advocacy, legal representation, news, reports, young offenders, youth courts by sally

‘Access to justice for young and vulnerable offenders is being endangered by variable advocacy standards amongst lawyers acting in youth court proceedings, a new report claims.’

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Legal Voice, 20th November 2015

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

How students use FOI to investigate their universities – The Guardian

Posted November 24th, 2015 in freedom of information, news, universities by sally

‘Perhaps you want to know which universities make the most in library fines, or are curious about what the gender pay gap is like at the top. Or maybe you suspect your university staff are spending too much on first-class rail tickets or the dean’s office furnishings. These are just some of the ways that students are using freedom of information (FOI) requests to find out eye-opening facts about their universities’ activities.’

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The Guardian, 24th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Public plead for free legal advice before deciding whether to go to court – Legal Futures

‘Any person thinking about taking their case to court should be able to see a lawyer without cost at least once, according to an opinion poll conducted as part of work on the public perception of justice.’

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Legal Futures, 24th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Expectations of privacy abroad – Panopticon

Posted November 24th, 2015 in appeals, children, foreign jurisdictions, injunctions, news, photography, privacy by sally

‘As all celebrities know, to get the High Court to stop paparazzi pictures of you from being published, the first thing you have to do is show you had a reasonable expectation of privacy. But what if you were snapped outside of the jurisdiction and whilst English law principles suggest that you did have such an expectation, the local law where the photographs were taken says you do not?’

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Panopticon, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Mother Tania Clarence who killed children ‘overwhelmed’ – BBC News

‘A woman who killed her three children had become “overwhelmed” by their care up to four years before, a report said.’

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BBC News, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk