Dominic Grieve QC MP – Why It Matters that Conservatives Should Support the European Convention on Human Rights – UCL Constitution Unit

Posted December 11th, 2014 in attorney general, constitutional reform, human rights, news, speeches, treaties by sally

‘A British withdrawal from the European Convention of Human Rights would be “devastating for Britain and human rights throughout Europe, says Dominic Grieve, sacked as Attorney General by David Cameron in July.’

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UCL Constitution Unit, 10th December 2014

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

Litigation Trends Survey – Post Mitchell – New Law Journal

Posted December 11th, 2014 in costs, fees, law firms, news by sally

‘In the third NLJ / LSLA litigation trends survey, James Baxter reports on how firms and practitioners are seeking clarity post-Mitchell.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 11th December 2014

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

The costs of intervening – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted December 11th, 2014 in appeals, competition, costs, news, telecommunications, tribunals by sally

‘There is an interesting little point on costs buried away in last week’s decision in the “Ethernet” disputes in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (see BT plc v Cable & Wireless Worldwide Plc and others [2014] CAT 20).’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 11th December 2014

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Supreme Court to hear challenge to key test on homelessness and vulnerability – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Supreme Court will next week hear three cases where homeless applicants for housing assistance are seeking to challenge the Pereira test of vulnerability.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th December 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Dark web’: GCHQ and National Crime Agency join forces in hunt for child abuse – The Guardian

‘David Cameron will place Britain’s GCHQ eavesdropping agency and the National Crime Agency (NCA) at the centre of a fight to eliminate “digital hiding places for child abusers”.’

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The Guardian, 11th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Facebook reunion murder: David Hoyle killed Rebecca Bamber – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2014 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend after rekindling their relationship on Facebook.’

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BBC News, 10th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoJ commissions new report into accessibility of legal services – LegalVoice

Posted December 11th, 2014 in legal aid, legal services, Ministry of Justice, news, reports by sally

‘Following the recent publication of a report on litigants in person in private family law (reported here), the Lord Chancellor has commissioned a review of accessibility and affordability of legal services.’

Full story

LegalVoice, 10th December 2014

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Police to lose complaints powers – The Guardian

Posted December 11th, 2014 in complaints, consultations, news, police by sally

‘Police forces are to be stripped of the power to manage public complaints made against their own officers, the home secretary will announce on Thursday.

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The Guardian, 11th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judicial reviews: a decision that’s best left to judges – The Guardian

‘The justice secretary wants to restrict access to judicial reviews, but judging the lawfulness of executive action should not be a matter for the executive.’

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The Guardian, 10th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Skelmersdale man jailed for murdering Polish neighbour – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2014 in closed circuit television, murder, news, racism, sentencing by sally

‘A man who hacked to death his Polish neighbour in a “savage and ferocious” machete attack in Lancashire has been jailed for life.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mass polygamy in UK Muslim community – claim – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 10th, 2014 in bills, Islam, islamic law, marriage, news, polygamy, women by sally

‘Peer warns widespread polygamy being ‘condoned’ as report claims many Muslim women trapped in legal limbo.’

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Daily Telegraph, 10th December 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

EVENT: The Law Society – Legal Aid Annual Conference 2015

Posted December 10th, 2014 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The Law Society’s fourth legal aid conference will provide up to date information and relevant business advice to help support practitioners operating in difficult times. This essential event, presented by subject matter experts, will include two plenary sessions and practical breakout sessions covering:

• Digital working in crime and civil
• Financial health check for your firm
• Managing your legal aid contract
• Maximising your criminal fee
• Benefits of in house advocacy
• Operating under LASPO’

CPD Hours 5

Date: 19th March 2015, 9.00am-5.00pm

Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

House of Lords rejects government plans to restrict judicial review access – The Guardian

Posted December 10th, 2014 in bills, judicial review, news, parliament by sally

‘A rebellion in the House of Lords has inflicted a second defeat on the government’s plans to restrict access to judicial review challenges.’

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The Guardian, 9th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“We’re all in this together”, says incoming Bar Council Chairman in Inaugural Address – The Bar Council

Posted December 10th, 2014 in barristers, budgets, fees, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

‘Incoming Chairman of the Bar Council, Alistair MacDonald QC, has pledged he will “continue the excellent work” started by predecessors Maura McGowan QC and outgoing Chairman, Nicholas Lavender QC, in preventing further cuts to legal aid, in order to defend a “proud and independent profession”.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 9th December 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Reforming electoral law across the UK – Law Commission

Posted December 10th, 2014 in consultations, elections, Law Commission, news, referendums by sally

‘In a consultation opening today [9 December] the Law Commissions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set out provisional proposals for reforming the law that governs the conduct of elections and referendums across the UK.’

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Law Commission, 9th December 2014

Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

New Bar leader: young barristers should take place of paid McKenzie Friends – Legal Futures

Posted December 10th, 2014 in barristers, fees, McKenzie friends, news, solicitors by sally

‘Junior barristers should get themselves accredited for direct access work and act in cases where people are currently relying on paid McKenzie Friends, the incoming Bar Council chairman has said as he promised to promote direct access to the public.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th December 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Couple launch challenge to heterosexual ban on Civil Partnerships – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The future of civil partnerships is again in the news. In October, Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan tried to register a Civil Partnership at Chelsea Town Hall but were rebuffed on the grounds that the Civil Partnership Act 2004 reserves that status strictly for same sex couples. Their lawyer, Louise Whitfield of Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors has announced their intention to seek a judicial review and the couple have also started a petition.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 9th December 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Merseyside dangerous dog raids: Police acted ‘unlawfully’ – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2014 in compensation, dogs, judicial review, news, police by sally

‘A police crackdown that saw 22 dangerous dogs rounded up and destroyed across Merseyside was “unlawful”, a court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 9th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Peers continue JR resistance as Grayling admits misinforming MPs about changes – Litigation Futures

Posted December 10th, 2014 in bills, costs, judicial review, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

‘The House of Lords yesterday reinstated two of the three amendments it previously passed on the government’s judicial review reforms as it emerged that Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling had given MPs incorrect information over a key aspect of them last week.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 10th December 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

EVENT: UCL – Common Law and Statute in the Law of Employment

Posted December 10th, 2014 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘How should judges develop the common law where Parliament has ‘occupied the field’ through statutory regulation? This is an important enquiry, particularly given the modern prominence of legislation as a form of law-making in the sphere of labour law. In Johnson v Unisys, Lord Hoffmann controversially invoked constitutional principle to halt the development of the common law of wrongful dismissal in the face of a statutory right not to be unfairly dismissed.’

Date: 12th March 2015, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: UCL Laws, Bentham House, WC1H 0EG

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.