Disability charity mounts court challenge to Jackson reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 1st, 2011 in disabled persons, fees, judicial review, legal aid, news, personal injuries by sally

“A disability charity has mounted a High Court challenge to oppose government plans to reform ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law firms ally with chambers to bid for criminal contract – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 1st, 2011 in barristers, law firms, legal aid, news, tenders by sally

“Fifteen law firms in south Wales are to form an alliance with a set of chambers to bid for a criminal legal aid contract from the Legal Services Commission in the next contract round.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 29th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government imposes more demands on News Corporation in its takeover bid for BSkyB – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 1st, 2011 in media, news, takeovers by sally

“An independent director will have to sit in on Sky News board meetings when editorial decisions are being made if News Corporation’s bid to takeover BSkyB is successful and the news provider is spun off into a separate company, the Government said today.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th June 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Film industry asks court to force BT to cut off access to alleged copyright-infringing website – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 1st, 2011 in copyright, film industry, internet, news by sally

“Film industry representatives have asked a UK court to force BT to block its customers’ access to a UK-operated website it says violates copyright rights.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th June 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Challenge and opportunity – DPP speech to the Whitehall and Industry Group Lawyers Network – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted July 1st, 2011 in Crown Prosecution Service, speeches by sally

“Thank you for inviting me to speak to you this evening. I would like to tell you something about the challenges the Crown Prosecution Service is currently facing and what we are doing about them.”

Full speech

Crown Prosecution Service, 16th June 2011

Source; www.cps.gov.uk

Bar regulator sets up centralised examinations team – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 1st, 2011 in barristers, examinations, legal education, press releases by sally

“A newly formed team of legal practitioners and academics has been appointed by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), as examiners for the new centralised examinations initiative. The new centralised exams will form part of the assessment of students undertaking the vocational stage of barristers’ training, known as the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 30th June 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Vital safeguard of right to lawyer in police stations ‘under attack’ – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2011 in legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

“Plan to scrap automatic access to legal aid solicitors is a full-blown assault on the universal right to representation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Report attacks care of mental health patient who killed Wales pensioner – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2011 in homicide, hospitals, medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

“The care and treatment given to a man with a history of schizophrenia who killed a pensioner because voices in his head ordered him to attack a stranger have been severely criticised in a review.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Great Ormond Street Hospital doctors want Baby Peter inquiry – BBC News

Posted July 1st, 2011 in child abuse, disclosure, hospitals, inquiries, news by sally

“Doctors have demanded a government investigation into why London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital kept information from the original Baby Peter inquiry.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bribery Act targets corrupt firms – BBC News

Posted July 1st, 2011 in bribery, news, prosecutions by sally

“Legislation aimed at making it easier to prosecute companies who make corrupt payments abroad has come into force. The Bribery Act overhauls existing laws dating back to 1889 and creates offences that carry prison terms of up to 10 years and unlimited fines.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ofqual launches official inquiry into exam blunders – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2011 in examinations, inquiries, mistake, news by sally

“Exam boards face being stripped of their role over blunders that affected GCSEs and A-levels sat by thousands of schoolchildren, it emerged today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Female heirs given new financial rights in overhaul of Royal laws – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2011 in news, royal family, succession by sally

“A female heir to the Duke of Cambridge will have new financial rights under plans to modernise the monarchy.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st Juy 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted June 30th, 2011 in legislation by sally

The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (Commencement No. 2) (England) Order 2011

The National Health Service (Travel Expenses and Remission of Charges) Amendment Regulations 2011

The Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (Section 684(3A)) Order 2011

The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulations 2011

The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (Commencement No. 2) (England) Order 2011

The Finance Act 2009 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2011

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Judge blocks families’ Iraq compensation bid – The Guardian

Posted June 30th, 2011 in armed forces, compensation, families, human rights, negligence, news by sally

“A high court judge has blocked attempts by families of soldiers killed in Iraq to seek compensation from the government under human rights legislation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Whole life’ term for hair fetish killer – The Independent

Posted June 30th, 2011 in extradition, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A hair fetishist has been given a ‘whole life’ jail sentence for the ‘depraved’ and ‘callous’ murder and mutilation of a mother of two.”

Full story

The Independent,

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Emergency law to overturn court ruling on police bail – The Guardian

Posted June 30th, 2011 in bail, detention, legislation, news, police by sally

“Emergency legislation is to be introduced to overturn a court ruling that has severely restricted police powers to detain suspects for questioning and plunged police bail laws into chaos.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (G) v Governors of X School (Secretary of State for the Home Department intervening) – WLR Daily

Regina (G) v Governors of X School (Secretary of State for the Home Department intervening) [2011] UKSC 30; [2011] WLR (D) 211

“A teaching assistant accused of acts of abuse of trust with a pupil was not entitled to legal representation in school disciplinary proceedings which might lead to a referral to the Independent Safeguarding Authority, which could bar him from working with children.”

WLR Daily, 29th June 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

New independent assessor of compensation appointed – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 30th, 2011 in civil servants, compensation, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

“Right Honourable Dame Janet Smith DBE has been appointed to succeed Lord Brennan of Bibury QC as the independent Assessor for miscarriages of justice compensation for England and Wales.The Assessor is appointed under schedule 12 of the Criminal Justice.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 29th June 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bar Council stands firm on Bellfield trial backlash – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 30th, 2011 in barristers, defence, news by sally

“The Bar Council has warned that defence lawyers may feel inhibited about taking on high-profile trials that could potentially see them vilified by the media, following coverage of the trial of Levi Bellfield last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Theresa May acts over banned activist in UK – The Independent

Posted June 30th, 2011 in immigration, news by sally

“Home Secretary Theresa May ordered an investigation today after a leading Palestinian activist accused of a history of ‘virulent anti-semitism’ entered the UK despite being banned.”

Full story

The Independent, 29th June 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk