This Supreme Court prisoner voting decision really is a victory for common sense – UK Human Rights Blog
“The Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling recently told The Spectator that he wants ‘to see our Supreme Court being supreme again’. In light of his respect for the court, he should read today’s judgment on prisoner votes very carefully indeed, as should David Cameron who has already endorsed the decision as a ‘great victory for common sense’.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 16th October 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
No law degree required for would-be solicitors – Times Higher Education
“Solicitors will no longer need to have a degree in order to qualify under a radical shake-up of legal training that it has been claimed could spell the ‘death’ of some law undergraduate courses.”
Times Higher Education, 17th October 2013
Source: www.timeshighereducation.co.uk
New legal battle over gay adverts on London buses – Daily Telegraph
“Transport chiefs in London have been accused of reopening a bitter row over homosexuality which saw Boris Johnson step in to ban advertisements on London buses promoting the idea that gay people could be ‘cured’.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Rulings ‘foreshadow’ clampdown on libel tourism in imminent defamation law reforms, say experts – OUT-LAW.com
“The High Court’s refusals to hear the outcome of two defamation claims serve as a pre-cursor to stiffer rules on libel tourism, two experts have said.”
OUT-LAW.com, 16th October 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
EVENT: Halsbury’s Law Exchange – Debate: This House believes that ethics in international arbitration requires no further regulation
“Halsbury’s Law Exchange has assembled a panel of great experience and distinction to discuss ethical practice in arbitration.
Speaking at this event:
Khawar Qureshi QC (Chair) – Barrister at Serle Court
Gary Born – Partner at WilmerHale
Cyrus Benson – Gibson Dunn
Hilary Heilbron QC – Brick Court Chambers
Points for discussion include:
Are the existing professional codes or conduct or institutional rules sufficient?
Are there any reasons why arbitrators should not be able to sanction parties and Counsel who behave improperly?
What are the main issues which require further regulation (if any) and how – by code/guidance or court and arbitral decisions?”
Date: Monday 18 November 2013, 6.00-8.00pm
Location: The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, The Old Hall, London WC2A 3TL
Charge: Free
More information can be found here.
Judges rule schools not ‘hazard-free zones’ after mother tries to sue – Daily Telegraph
“Judges ruled that schools should not have to ‘to safeguard children against harm in all circumstances’ after a boy injured himself on a water fountain.”
Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
High Court orders disclosure of closed judgment in Afghanistan interrogation case – UK Human Rights Blog
“In ‘Evans (No. 1)’, a 2010 case concerning the transfer of suspected insurgents for questioning in certain military centres in Afghanistan, the High Court had ruled, partly in an open judgment, partly in closed proceedings, that UK transfers to NDS Kandahar and NDS Lashkar Gah could proceed without risk of ill treatment (which is contrary to UK policy), but that it would be a breach of the policy and therefore unlawful for transfers to be made to NDS Kabul. It was subsequently discovered that there had not been jurisdiction to follow a closed procedure in that case, but what was done could not be undone, so the confidentiality agreements and the closed judgment remained in force.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 16th October 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Prisoners’ right-to-vote appeal rejected by supreme court – The Guardian
“Two convicted murderers who argued that European Union law gave them the right to vote in UK elections have had their appeals dismissed by the supreme court at Westminster.”
The Guardian, 16th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Foreign criminal awarded £25,000 damages – Daily Telegraph
“A foreign criminal jailed for robbery has been awarded £25,000 damages because of mistakes made by the Home Office during deportation proceedings.”
Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Middle classes who pay for care could get more rights – Daily Telegraph
“Hundreds of thousands of middle class elderly people may be protected under human rights laws for the first time after a vote in the House of Lords last night.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Ex-EDL leaders will not face court over alleged obstruction of police – The Guardian
“Two former English Defence League leaders will not have to answer a charge of obstructing police after prosecutors deemed there was insufficient evidence against them.”
The Guardian, 16th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Leveson lawyer: Too many potential witness were scared off by threat of ‘monstering’ from certain newspapers – The Independent
“Potential witnesses holding relevant evidence that should have been heard by Lord Justice Leveson’s press probe were scared off by the perceived threat of being ‘monstered’ by certain newspapers, according to the QC who lead questioning at the inquiry.”
The Independent, 16th October 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Ofcom to monitor quality of TV subtitling – BBC News
“Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom will begin a regular audit of the quality of broadcasters’ subtitles from next year.”
BBC News, 16th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Pure evil’: 10-year-old deaf and mute girl trafficked to UK, kept in cellar and raped by pensioner – The Independent
“A pensioner who trafficked a 10-year-old deaf and mute girl into Britain, keeping her in his cellar to claim benefits, was convicted yesterday of repeatedly raping her.”
The Independent, 17th October 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
EVENT: Queen Mary – CLSGC: Authority in a Transnational Age
“Contemporary jurisprudence – and legal scholarship and legal education more generally – is currently under serious challenge from the emergence of arguably new legal phenomena at the non-state or transnational level. This challenge is both substantive and methodological. Substantively, legal scholars are being confronted with, and asked to explain, phenomena which cannot easily be explained by theories which put the sovereign state at the centre. Such phenomena include internet regulation and the new lex mercatoria. New jurisprudential problems are also raised by the growth of transnational communities, which bring with them a variety of different legal traditions and understandings. Methodologically, in this context, traditional conceptual analysis is arguably ever more in need of being informed by empirical analysis – for the old concepts, and their universalistic tendencies, are being criticised as inadequate.”
Date: 8th-9th November 2013, 9.00-5.00pm
Location: Arts Two Lecture Theatre, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
Charge: See website for details.
More information can be found here.
EVENT: Inner Temple – Working with Vulnerable Witnesses Seminar: Advocacy Training for Barristers Working with Vulnerable Witnesses
“This year, the Inner Temple will be holding a CPD day for practitioners from the New Practitioner stage and beyond, providing Advocacy Training for Barristers working with Vulnerable Witnesses. The keynote address will be given by The Rt Hon Lady Justice Hallett DBE.
This full day of practical training will be taught by the Inner Temple’s experienced advocacy trainers and will provide attendees with an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses played by professional actors.
This course is open to barristers of all four Inns who are new practitioner level or above. The skills which will be taught, whilst of particular interest to criminal practitioners, will also be useful to barristers in other practice areas working with vulnerable witnesses and those requiring interpretation.”
6 CPD Hours
Date: Saturday 23 November 2013
Location: Inner Temple, London EC4Y 7HL
Charge: £125 (including lunch)
More information can be found here.
