Mum jailed for arson on Ruabon home while children inside – BBC News
‘A mother-of-two who claimed voices in her head told her to set fire to her home with her children inside has been jailed.’
BBC News, 18th March 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Changes announced to UK’s venture capital rules – Technology Law Update
‘Although there is precious little detail until the Finance Bill is published next week you may be interested in the following new Budget announcements concerning SEIS/EIS/VCT investments – I haven’t included previously announced measures.’
Technology Law Update, 19th March 2015
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
Single dad adopts surrogate baby born to his mother – Park Square Barristers
‘The single father in the recent case B v C & Others (Surrogacy: Adoption) [2015] EWFC 17 (Fam) successfully obtained an adoption order which was the only means open to him to secure his legal relationship with his surrogate son. Alison Hunt of Park Square Barristers represented the father in this unique case in the Family Court before Mrs Justice Theis. The judgment opens the way for other single would-be parents to proceed in the same way, but it also highlights the very real pitfalls and uncertainty which await them in this difficult process. It raises questions about whether parental orders should be available to single applicants as they are for couples.’
Park Square Barristers, 9th March 2015
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
Missing Persons – Tanfield Chambers
‘After bringing the first claim of its kind in the High Court in 2015, Gwyn Evans discusses how the Act will bring some relief to grieving families.’
Tanfield Chambers, 20th February 2015
Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk
Family Law Week’s Budget Briefing 2015 – Family Law Week
‘Jan Ellis, chartered accountant, of Ellis Foster LLP, a firm which specialises in advising family lawyers on tax-related family law issues, explains the budget changes of most relevance to family lawyers.’
Family Law Week, 18th March 2015
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Court bundle sizes in care proceedings must be controlled – Park Square Barristers
‘In the recent case of Re L (A Child) [2015] EWFC 1, the president of the Family Division, Sir James Munby, reminded practitioners of the importance of following Practice Direction 27A when preparing court bundles in care proceedings, and keeping their size under control. ‘
Park Square Barristers, 12th March 2015
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
Managing Cuts: Lawful decision-making, PSED and consultation – Thirty Nine Essex Street
‘In recent years there have been an increased number of challenges to local authority decisions made under the pressure of increasingly tight and potentially unmanageable
financial constraints. Many of these legal challenges have centred on alleged failures to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) together with alleged deficiencies in the consultation process. As financial pressures continue, and further cuts are required, this paper discusses the lessons to be learned from the cases so far, and offers practical tips for lawful decision-making in these difficult times.’
Full story (PDF)
Thirty Nine Essex Street, February 2015
Source: www.39essex.com
EVENT: The Law Society – Civil Justice Section spring conference – The business of civil litigation
‘Join expert speakers for a detailed examination of some of the current hot topics for litigators. This is an opportunity to learn, be inspired and get ahead for 2015.’
Date: 29th April 2015, 3.30-6.45pm
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL
Charge: See website for details
More information can be found here.
EVENT: IALS – Open Justice and Open Secrets: The Cultural Afterlife of Criminal Evidence
‘This presentation examines the cultural afterlife of criminal evidence. It explores what happens to the evidence tendered in criminal proceedings after the conclusion of the trial, or during the trial but outside the courtroom. Formally regarded as part of the court record, and subject to the rules of evidence within the trial, beyond the trial this material has aroused the interest of artists, publishers, historians, curators and journalists who wish to access and use this material for a wide range of purposes, some of which might be transgressive, dangerous or insensitive.’
Date: 13th May 2015, 6.00-8.00pm
Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR
Charge: Free, registration required
More information can be found here.
EVENT: The Law Society – Graham Turnbull Lecture 2015
‘Every year the Law Society holds a human rights essay competition this year the title was
‘The roots of many of our basic rights go back to the Magna Carta whose 800th Anniversary is being celebrated in 2015. Given this important legacy, to what extent would proposals to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 and pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights impact on the protection of human rights in the UK and around the world?’’
Date: 16th April 2015, 6.30-8.30pm
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL
Charge: Free
More information can be found here.
Vince v Wyatt; the value of a clean break order – Zenith Chambers
‘The Supreme Court has told us that Ms Wyatt must explain and justify her reasons for delaying in making a claim, and that it is important to address the effect of delay on the Respondent. Little has been said of the responsibility of any spouse seeking to exclude future claims against themselves to seek a clean break order.’
Zenith Chambers, 13th March 2015
Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk
Online divorce… a practical choice – Legal Services Board
‘The Legal Services Board and the Legal Services Consumer Panel today publish jointly commissioned research comparing the consumer experience of online divorce with more traditional services. This is the first time that this aspect of online legal services has been looked at.’
Legal Services Board, 19th March 2015
Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk
Advising witnesses on the defence case: what are the issues? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘The CPS have recently been running a consultation entitled “Speaking to Witnesses at Court”. The consultation period ended on Monday 16th March, and we await their response.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 18th March 2015
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Credit hire rates. Are they basically the same? – Park Square Barristers
‘A recent decision from the Court of Appeal has caused a sea-change in the ways in which courts will assess the likely cost of basic hire rates (BHRs) when assessing the recoverable damages to be paid under a credit-hire agreement. From now on, the courts will be entitled to calculate BHRs with reference to the lowest reasonable rate charged by a local (to the claimant) main hire company.’
Park Square Barristers, 6th March 2015
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
Are Covert Recordings Admissible? – No. 5 Chambers
‘Charles Crow reviews recent decisions in relation to covert recordings by employees and the implications for Tribunals and employers.’
No. 5 Chambers, 12th January 2015
Source: www.no5.com
Enforcing family financial orders – Law Commission
‘Every year, thousands of separating couples apply to the courts for financial orders, either because they cannot agree or to turn an agreement into an order so as to make it enforceable. The courts can order a person to make financial provision for a former spouse or civil partner. Sometimes the courts also make orders for the benefit of the children. The orders are made to help make sure that the needs of both partners and their children are met and, where possible, to maintain their living standards.’
Law Commission, 11th March 2015
Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk
Sexual Offences Prevention Orders – One Inner Temple Lane
‘The purpose of Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPOs) are to protect the public or any particular members of the public where necessary from serious sexual harm from a defendant. This article is intended to consider the key features of the current regime pursuant to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (SOA) and the limitations that the SOPO in its current form suffers from.’
One Inner Temple Lane, 27th February 2015
Source: www.1itl.com
Varying a Foreign Maintenance Order Post the Maintenance Regulation – Family Law Week
‘James Roberts, barrister of 1 King’s Bench Walk, and Catherine Silwal , Senior Solicitor with KJ Smith Solicitors, analyse the law relating to variation of foreign maintenance orders and the effect of the EU Maintenance Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009).’
Family Law Week, 17th March 2015
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
EVENT: King’s College London – Combating Climate Change: What Law Demands
‘It may seem that, in the absence of explicit treaties, states have no legal obligations to curb their greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, if emissions continue on their present trajectory, the harms they cause will reach catastrophic proportions, putting the human rights of billions of people in jeopardy. International human rights law is legally binding on states, which are, therefore, not free to continue business as usual. But how much do human rights and other sources of law, in particular tort law, require each state to do to reduce emissions, even in the absence of a specific treaty? A group of legal experts from around the world has answered this question, producing a set of Principles, setting out existing obligations regarding the climate, along with a detailed legal Commentary. These documents may help judges decide whether particular governments are in compliance with their legal obligations to address climate change. The principles may also serve many other purposes, for example they may strengthen the bargaining position of poor countries by pointing to far-reaching obligations of wealthy countries.’
Date: 30th March 2015, 6.00-8.00pm
Location: SW1.17 East Wing Somerset House
Charge: Free, registration required
More information can be found here.
