Whistleblowers: A Novel Approach – Cloisters

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, disclosure, duty of care, news, whistleblowers by sally

‘Daphne Romney QC and Schona Jolly QC consider the recent High Court judgment in Rihan v Ernst & Young Global Ltd & others [2020] EWHC 901 (QB), which provides an interesting new angle for employment, international and commercial lawyers whose clients are not entitled to the statutory whistleblowing protection embedded within the Employment Rights Act 1996. Whilst the reach of the new duty of care is likely to be limited to very specific situations, it imposes a new duty of care on employers to protect against economic loss, in the form of loss of future employment opportunity, by providing an ethically safe work environment, free from professional misconduct (or indeed criminal conduct) in a professional setting.’

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Cloisters, 21st April 2020

Source: www.cloisters.com

Tribunals & COVID-19 First-tier & Upper Tribunals, and Traffic Commissioners – Henderson Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, live link evidence, news, tribunals by sally

‘Much has been said in relation to the steps being taken to keep the criminal and civil courts going, but what’s going on in the First-tier and Upper Tribunals, as well as before the Traffic Commissioners?’

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Henderson Chambers, 20th April 2020

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A timely and important decision on remote hearings in the family courts – Re P: (A Child Remote Hearings) (2020) EWFC 32 – Garden Court Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in care orders, chambers articles, child cruelty, children, coronavirus, families, family courts, live link evidence, news, remote hearings by sally

‘This is a serious FII case, and concerned care proceedings involving a 7 year old child. It was alleged that the mother had falsely made a number of damaging claims that her child was suffering from a myriad serious ailments and health conditions. This was all hotly disputed by the mother, so the case was fully contested. It had been fixed several months previously for a 15 days fact finding and disposal hearing before a Judge at Guildford Law Courts. Following the lockdown, the Judge had decided the case would proceed as a remote hearing using the Skype video platform.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

R (Carole Smith) v HM Assistant Coroner for North West Wales: Causation, admitted failings and what to record in the Record of Inquest – Parklane Plowden

Posted April 24th, 2020 in causation, chambers articles, coroners, hospitals, inquests, judicial review, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘On 7 April 2020, judgment was handed down in R (Carole Smith) v HM Coroner for North West Wales [2020] EWHC 781 (Admin). The case has important repercussions as to the relevance of admitted failures to Coroners’ conclusions and the extent of what should be recorded in the Record of Inquest (‘ROI’).’

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Parklane Plowden, 21st April 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Recovering Inquest Costs in Subsequent Civil Proceedings – Ropewalk Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, civil justice, costs, inquests, negligence, news, proportionality by sally

‘The basic position is well-known: in principle, the costs of an inquest are recoverable in a subsequent clinical negligence claim. The leading case in this regard, also well-known, is Roach -v- Home Office [2010] QB 256.’

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Ropewalk Chambers, April 2020

Source: www.ropewalk.co.uk

The impact of Coronavirus, part 6: sentencing at a time of national emergency – 6KBW College Hill

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, criminal justice, news, sentencing by sally

‘As a result of the restrictions on movement imposed due to the current pandemic, the criminal justice system is operating little more than what might be colloquially referred to as a ‘Saturday service’ at present. Despite this, lower-level offences still work their way through the system, while cases involving more serious offences are adjourned pending the relaxation of the restrictions. This blog post concentrates on a topic that has thus far received little attention: sentencing for offences committed at a time of national crisis.’

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6KBW College Hill, 23rd April 2020

Source: blog.6kbw.com

Judiciary sets up working party to bring back jury trials – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, judiciary, juries, news, trials by sally

‘The prospect of jury trials restarting has come closer with news that the judiciary has set up a working party to consider how they can be brought back as soon as it is safe to do so. The news comes shortly after lord chancellor Robert Buckland said he wanted jury trials back up and running as quickly as possible.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th April 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Staying for clarification – Falcon Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, emergency powers, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repossession, trespass by sally

‘Covid-19 has had quite an effect on property lawyers in their professional lives. The stay on Part 55 claims imposed by PD 51Z on 27 March 2020 has stayed part of many practitioners’ day to day work. It has also led, however, to numerous questions. Can possession claims still be issued? Can directions still be followed or sought for possession claims already past the first possession hearing and heading towards trial? What are we supposed to do about trespass cases? Trespassers are not people the Government seemed to be keen to protect when it announced its intention to protect certain categories of occupiers from eviction, yet possession claims against trespassers have been caught in the general stay.’

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Falcon Chambers, April 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Vicarious Liability: whose liability is it anyway? – 4 New Square

Posted April 24th, 2020 in class actions, damages, data protection, employment, news, sexual offences, Supreme Court, vicarious liability by sally

‘On 1 April 2020 the Supreme Court handed down judgment in Barclays Bank plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 13 (“Barclays”) and MW Morrison Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 12 (“Morrison”) – the latest in the recent line of cases focussed on the nature, scope and development of the doctrine of vicarious liability.’

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4 New Square, 20th April 2020

Source: www.4newsquare.com

ADCS President warns of potential spike in demand and backlog of care applications following COVID-19 outbreak – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 24th, 2020 in care orders, children, coronavirus, families, local government, news, social services by sally

‘It is possible that there will be “huge spikes in demand across the children’s social care spectrum”, a backlog of new care applications and more children needing to come into care as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services for 2020/21 has warned.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Directors Disqualification: Applying for Permission to Act During the Corona Pandemic – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, company directors, insolvency, news, practice directions by sally

‘On 6 April 2020 the Temporary Insolvency Practice Direction (“TIPD”) came into force. On 7 April 2020 the guidance note issued by Chief ICCJ Briggs confirmed that, for the purposes of TIPD, applications under section 17 Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 are deemed urgent.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 17th April 2020

Source: radcliffechambers.com

County council wins High Court appeal over deregistration of common land – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 24th, 2020 in airports, commons, local government, news, planning by sally

‘Hampshire County Council has won an appeal over an inspector’s decision to deregister as common land an area where an airport is located.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK voter ID plan disenfranchises the poor, appeal court told – The Guardian

Posted April 24th, 2020 in appeals, documents, elections, equality, identification, news by sally

‘Pilot schemes requiring voters to produce photo ID at polling stations disenfranchise those who do not have or cannot find their documents and alienate people from the democratic process, the court of appeal has been told.’

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The Guardian, 23rd April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

EXE v Governors of the Royal Naval School [2020] EWHC 596 QB – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in causation, chambers articles, child abuse, children, criminal records, damages, employment, limitations, negligence, news, school children, vicarious liability by sally

‘The Defendants employed a 30 year old man “Hughes” as a kitchen porter from 15 October 1990 to 10 July 1991 at their school for girls. He was provided with accommodation on the school premises. The Defendants were not aware that Hughes had a criminal record, including offences of indecent assault on a female and unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 15. Had the Defendants been aware of these convictions, Hughes would not have been offered employment.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Possessions, Covid-19 and the Decision in UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v MD – 4 King’s Bench Walk

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, emergency powers, enforcement, hospitals, news, repossession by sally

‘The spread of the coronavirus has caused disruption to our lives and the operation of society in ways that the vast majority of us have never experienced in our lifetime. The drastic measures adopted by the Government in response to the rapid spread of the disease, including putting the country into “lockdown”, required numerous amendments to be made to existing laws; this included those concerning residential and business tenancies and, more specifically, the rules relating to the eviction of tenants. The amendments increase the protections for tenants during the crisis.’

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4 King's Bench Walk, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.4kbw.co.uk

At the front line of Covid-19 – forgotten victims? – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, emergency powers, freedom of movement, health, human rights, news, victims by sally

‘In a sense, we are all “victims” of the 2020-1 Coronavirus pandemic. Our lives have been changed dramatically by its effects at the domestic, community, regional, national and international levels. None of us born since WWII have experienced the restrictions of movement/activity we are experiencing as “lockdown”. There are serious wellbeing issues associated with being confined to the home for the majority of time, and no doubt those suffering domestic strain, let alone abuse, are truly “suffering”. One thinks also of those self-denying or being denied access to treatment for other health conditions because of the necessary concentration of health resources upon Covid-19 patients. All of this without considering the serious economic effects of deprivation of income for many people who really cannot afford any reduction in their already stretched incomes.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Court of Protection Newsletter – Spire Barristers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, Court of Protection, news by sally

‘Welcome to the April issue of Spire Barristers’ Public Law Newsletter covering news from around the web, practice updates and case reviews in Court of Protection and Public Law matters.’

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Spire Barristers, 20th April 2020

Source: spirebarristers.co.uk

What property remedies are available during the Covid-19 lockdown? – St Philips Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, emergency powers, housing, landlord & tenant, news, practice directions, repossession by sally

‘Practice Direction 51Z, which came into force on 27 March 2020, has imposed a general 90-day stay on new and current Part 55 possession proceedings with (as of 20 April 2020) limited exceptions in a new paragraph 2A.’

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St Philips Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: st-philips.com

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – Update – Thomas More Chambers

Posted April 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, employment, news by sally

‘The Coronavirus job Retention Scheme guidance was updated on 15 and, in particular, 17 April 2020. This article identifies the most important updates and, where necessary, explains them.’

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Thomas More Chambers, 20th April 2020

Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk

Government successfully appeals in ‘Right to Rent’ case – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 24th, 2020 in appeals, equality, government departments, housing, human rights, immigration, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘Notably, the Court of Appeal agreed with the High Court’s view that the scheme does result in landlords discriminating against tenants without British passports on the basis of their actual or perceived nationality. However, the Court held that this discrimination was justified.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd April 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com