Is it Getting Chilly in Here? – Panopticon

Posted October 7th, 2015 in benefits, freedom of information, news, tribunals by sally

‘It has been an admirable trend of Tribunals in FOIA cases over the last few years that they have been increasingly sceptical of assertions on the part of public authorities that disclosure will provide chilling effects on their activities. An inevitable pattern forms of an insistence that the sky will fall in if information is released, information is released (or leaked), and the sky appears not to fall in. Government grinds on. But Judge Jacobs has provided a little more comfort for such arguments in DWP v Information Commissioner, Slater & Collins [2015] UKUT 535 (AAC). The case related to various risk register documents related to Universal Credit.’

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Panopticon, 7th October 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

UK’s discriminatory migrant residence tests are legal – preliminary EU ruling – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2015 in benefits, domicile, EC law, immigration, news by sally

‘The practice of discriminating against EU migrants in the UK by subjecting them to a residence test for benefit payments is legal, according to a preliminary European court ruling.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Getting Paid For Sleeping On The Job – The National Minimum Wage – No. 5 Chambers

Posted October 7th, 2015 in contract of employment, minimum wage, news, remuneration by sally

‘In certain occupations, it is common for the employment contract to require the employee to sleep overnight at the place of employment some or all nights of the week and to be “on call” should any incidents arise. Typically those occupations attract low wages and include care workers, supervisors at boarding schools and porters in residential blocks of flats. If the employee is entitled to be paid for all the hours whilst they are present at the workplace, even when they are asleep, and not just those hours when they are attending incidents, then their average wage may fall below the National Minimum Wage [“NMW”]. What, then, is the test to be applied to whether hours spent asleep are to be taken into account?’

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No. 5 Chambers, 30th September 2015

Source: www.no5.com

Putting the cab into the cab-rank rule: BSB fines barrister over taxi firm conviction – Legal Futures

Posted October 7th, 2015 in barristers, company directors, fines, licensing, news, professional conduct, taxis by sally

‘A barrister convicted by a magistrates’ court of failing to get licenses for his taxi firm has been fined £600 by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

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Legal Futures, 7th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Trumping the Trump – or how to meet a claim to privilege following discontinuance in a fundamental dishonesty claim – Park Square Barristers

Posted October 7th, 2015 in disclosure, evidence, fundamental dishonesty, news, personal injuries, privilege by sally

‘It is common practice for an unscrupulous claimant, to run a doubtful personal injury claim to the door of the court, hoping to force a settlement, and then, at the last minute, to discontinue, in order to avoid the risk of failure, a finding of fundamental dishonesty and a costs liability.’

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Park Square Barrister, 18th September 2015

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

LSB: criminal advocacy reforms “should not be designed around” any particular group of lawyers – Legal Futures

Posted October 7th, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, criminal justice, news, quality assurance, solicitors by sally

‘It is important that government plans to enhance the quality of criminal defence advocacy in publicly funded cases “should not be designed around one particular professional group”, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 7th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Becky Watts murder: potential jurors told not to research case – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2015 in contempt of court, internet, juries, murder, news by sally

‘Potential jurors in the Becky Watts murder trial have been warned they could face imprisonment if they research the case or discuss it with other people.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dust settles on new UK antitrust litigation regime – Zenith Chambers

Posted October 7th, 2015 in class actions, competition, consumer protection, news, tribunals by sally

‘With the Consumer Rights Act 2015 competition law provisions coming into effect on 1 October it is time to reflect on what the reforms, including the new opt-out collective actions regime and enhanced role for the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), will mean in practice.’

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Zenith Chambers, 5th October 2015

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Francis Andrade suicide prompts CPS rape victim support pilot – BBC News

Posted October 7th, 2015 in news, pilot schemes, rape, suicide, victims, witnesses by sally

‘High-profile rape cases like that involving a violinist who took her own life after giving evidence against her abuser have prompted major changes in the way victims are treated in court.’

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BBC News, 7th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Privacy groups hail ‘freedom from surveillance’ in European court’s Facebook ruling – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2015 in consent, data protection, EC law, internet, news by sally

‘Private industry was in a rage while privacy groups were elated on Tuesday over a new ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) affirming European citizens’ right to privacy from American tech companies.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Time Limits in Commercial Contracts – Ignore Them at Your Peril! – No. 5 Chambers

Posted October 7th, 2015 in contracts, news, sport, time limits by sally

‘The recent media storm concerning the collapse of Manchester United’s transfer deal for its goalkeeper David de Gea apparently as a result of a two minutes delay in submitting the requisite paperwork caused me reflect on the potential effects of missing deadlines in commercial contracts. Man U’s problem did not, of course, arise from any term in the transfer agreement itself, but rather from its failure to register the player into the new club through FIFA in accordance with the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which postulate a strictly prescribed “registration period” or transfer window in media parlance.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 11th September 2015

Source: www.no5.com

Jurors and jail: How to avoid going from one to the other, and trying to keep your Ipad in between… – Park Square Barristers

Posted October 7th, 2015 in contempt of court, internet, juries, news by sally

‘You’re called up for jury duty. You’re excited, nervous, curious. You wonder what case you might get, if there will be a celebrity involved. You probably don’t consider whether you’ll end up in prison at the end of your service.’

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Park Square Barristers, 4th October 2015

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Planning Policy Under the New Government – a briefing – Six Pump Court

Posted October 6th, 2015 in housing, local government, news, planning by sally

‘At a Westminster Briefing event entitled ‘Planning Policy under the new Government’ on 29th September, William Upton outlined the planning reforms currently underway and the direction of the new government’s planning policy.’

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Six Pump Court, 6th October 2015

Source: www.www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Man whose father strangled mother given life sentence for murdering pensioner – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2015 in mental health, murder, news, sentencing, violent offenders by sally

‘A man whose father strangled his mother to death when he was a child has been ordered to serve at least 25 and a half years of a life sentence for battering a pensioner to death.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BSB Chair Sir Andrew Burns sets his vision for the future of the Bar regulator – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 6th, 2015 in barristers, legal profession, news, speeches by sally

‘In his first keynote speech as Chair of the Bar Standards Board (BSB), Sir Andrew Burns urged barristers and key stakeholders to engage with the regulator on the future direction of Bar regulation at a networking function tonight at Lincoln’s Inn.’

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Bar Standards Board, 5th October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

When one charity sues another – NOCN v Open College Network Credit4Learning – NIPC Law

Posted October 6th, 2015 in charities, intellectual property, news, trade marks by sally

‘An open college network is a regional organization that accredits adult education courses offered by educational institutions and employers. The claimant was established to coordinate some of those organizations.’

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NIPC Law, 4th October 2015

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk

Man jailed for second time for breaching anti-social behaviour injunction – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2015 in anti-social behaviour, injunctions, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

‘A Bristol man has been jailed for three months for persistently breaching an anti-social behaviour injunction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th October 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Does Article 8 survive adoption? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 6th, 2015 in adoption, human rights, news, parental rights by sally

‘There has been further consideration of potential post-adoption Article 8 rights for natural parents in a judgment by Peter Jackson J in the case of Seddon v Oldham MBC. There are no surprises in the conclusions he reaches.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th October 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Gay man loses fight to secure equal pension rights for husband – The Guardian

‘A gay man has lost his appeal court bid to win his husband the same pension rights a wife would enjoy if he was in a heterosexual relationship.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Norwich Winsor Bishop jewellers scooter raiders jailed – BBC News

Posted October 6th, 2015 in conspiracy, gangs, news, sentencing, theft, young offenders by sally

‘A gang who stole watches worth more than £30,000 in a raid on a jewellers before making off on scooters have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 6th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk