Sex discrimination case begins – Law Society’s Gazette

“A woman solicitor who alleges that her boss remarked she had ‘all the traits of a blonde’ and should find herself a rich husband has begun tribunal proceedings for sexual discrimination and unfair dismissal.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th May 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

News focus: sole practitioners face ‘perfect storm’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of the sole practitioner appear greatly exaggerated.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th May 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judge demands review of damaging divorce laws – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 12th, 2011 in children, cohabitation, divorce, families, judges, news by sally

“Outdated family laws have fuelled an ‘alarming’ rise in marital breakdown, causing ‘profound’ damage to millions of children, a High Court judge has warned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th May 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Joanna Yeates trial: Mirror and Sun face contempt charges – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2011 in contempt of court, defamation, media, news by sally

“The attorney general, Dominic Grieve, will begin court action on Thursday against two tabloid newspapers over the way they covered the hunt for the killer of Joanna Yeates, the landscape architect whose body was found dumped on Christmas Day in a country lane near Bristol.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th May 2001

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Professional negligence litigation rise down to the unscrupulous few – Law Society’s Gazette

“Economically speaking, the law is generally thought to be a counter-cyclical profession.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th May 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Pension rights for gay couples in civil partnerships should match those for married straight couples, EU court rules – OUT-LAW.com

“Couples in civil partnerships should have the same pension rights as married couples according to the European Court of Justice, backing the approach already taken in the UK.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th May 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Judges to be asked: Should cameras be allowed in courts? – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2011 in courts, judiciary, media, news by sally

“Judges are to be consulted about how cameras could be allowed into courtrooms to televise trials, the Ministry of Justice has revealed. Confirmation that officials have put the issue back on the political agenda comes as the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, calls for greater openness and transparency in the justice system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police reform bill defeat for government in Lords – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2011 in bills, elections, news, police by sally

“The government suffered a major defeat in the Lords when a rebellion by Liberal Democrat peers helped carry an amendment that could bury the government’s central policy of elected police and crime commissioners.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Punishments for burglars tightened up by sentencing body – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2011 in burglary, news, sentencing, victims by sally

“Burglars who target homes will normally be expected to be sent to jail, under new sentencing guidelines for judges and magistrates.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted May 12th, 2011 in law reports by sally

Supreme Court

Adams, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Justice [2011] UKSC 18 (11 May 2011)

Revenue & Customs v Tower MCashback LLP 1 & Anor [2011] UKSC 19 (11 May 2011)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Zejmowicz & Anor, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 1173 (11 May 2011)

Nicholas & Anor v R. [2011] EWCA Crim 1175 (11 May 2011)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Mahan Air & Anor v Blue Sky One Ltd & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 544 (11 May 2011)

Helden v Strathmore Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 542 (11 May 2011)

Systemcare (UK) Ltd v (Services Design Technology Ltd & Anor (Rev 1) [2011] EWCA Civ 546 (11 May 2011)

Nassery, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Brent [2011] EWCA Civ 539 (11 May 2011)

Lane v Cullens Solicitors & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 547 (11 May 2011)

Wardle v Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank [2011] EWCA Civ 545 (11 May 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Humber Oil Terminals Trustee Ltd v Associated British Ports [2011] EWHC 1184 (Ch) (11 May 2011)

High Court (Family Division)

X, Y, and Z & Anor v A Local Authority [2011] EWHC 1157 (Fam) (11 May 2011)

R & Anor v A [2011] EWHC 1158 (Fam) (11 May 2011)

High Court (Administrative Court)

HH, R (on the application of) v City of Westminster Magistrates Court [2011] EWHC 1145 (Admin) (11 May 2011)

High Court (Patents Court)

Schutz (UK) Ltd & Anor v Delta Containers Ltd & Anor [2011] EWHC 1173 (Pat) (05 May 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

ACS:Law fined over data breach – BBC News

Posted May 11th, 2011 in data protection, fines, law firms, news, privacy by sally

“Andrew Crossley, the controversial solicitor who made money by accusing computer users of illegal file sharing, has been fined £1,000.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th May 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Unions attack plans to reform employment laws – The Guardian

“Ministers claim reforms will make it easier for businesses to grow but unions say change will ‘reward bad employers who disadvantage women and ethnic minority workers’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Meet our Independent Observer – Bar Standards Board

Posted May 11th, 2011 in barristers, complaints, disciplinary procedures, news by sally

“Isobel Leaviss has been appointed to the position of Independent Observer. She will be responsible for providing independent assurance that our complaints and disciplinary system is operating in line with its aims and objectives and best practice in professional regulation.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 11th May 2011

Source: www.barstandards.org.uk

Removing libel juries would be dangerous, warns newspaper industry – The Guardian

Posted May 11th, 2011 in defamation, juries, media, news by sally

“Senior figures from the newspaper industry on Wednesday warned politicians against plans to eradicate juries in libel trials as part of sweeping reforms to defamation law in the UK.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Less stressful divorces thanks to mediation – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 11th, 2011 in dispute resolution, divorce, news by sally

“Separating couples in Manchester are resolving their disputes more cheaply, quickly and less stressfully following new rules introduced by Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 11th May 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Supreme court ruling redefines miscarriages of justice – The Guardian

Posted May 11th, 2011 in compensation, miscarriage of justice, murder, news by sally

“Two men from Northern Ireland whose convictions for murder during the Troubles were quashed following the emergence of fresh evidence are entitled to compensation, the supreme court has ruled.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

ICO publishes new code of practice for personal data sharing – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 11th, 2011 in codes of practice, data protection, news by sally

“Organisations must make sure they only share the personal data necessary to achieve their objectives according to guidance published by privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th May 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Sharing Current Awareness posts

Posted May 11th, 2011 in news by sally

It is now easy to share posts from the Current Awareness blog on Facebook, Twitter or by email. You simply need to click on the title of any post and select one of the icons below “Source”, as in the following example.

Click on the image above for a large view.

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted May 11th, 2011 in legislation by sally

The Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) (No. 2) Regulations 2011

The Syria (Asset-Freezing) Regulations 2011

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Regina (G) v Lambeth London Borough Council and another – WLR Daily

Posted May 11th, 2011 in children, housing, law reports, local government, social services by sally

Regina (G) v Lambeth London Borough Council and another [2011] EWCA Civ 526; [2011] WLR (D) 152

“Accommodation ostensibly provided to a child aged 16 to 17 by a council as a local housing authority was to be deemed to be accommodation provided by it as a children’s services authority where the child met the criteria of a ‘child in need’ within section 17(10) of the Children Act 1989 and the actions of a social worker working for the council in a different team could properly be imputed to the social services division. Consequently on reaching adulthood that person became a ‘former relevant child’ within section 23C(1) of the 1989 Act, as inserted, and was owed the duties set out in that section.”

WLR Daily, 6th May 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.