23/01/2025 – Current Awareness

‘This paper explores the contemporary elective module provision in undergraduate English law degrees. The demise of the qualifying law degree as a requirement to pursue qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales means that providers of undergraduate English law degrees now have increasing flexibility over the structure and content of courses. This paper reviews elective modules offered at providers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the academic year 2023–2024 and finds that while there is increasing diversity among elective provision when compared to historic provision, there is also a degree of standardisation among degree providers. It discusses the significance of this standardisation in the post-qualifying law degree world and develops seven themes based on current elective provision to highlight the broader trends in elective provision. It then concludes by arguing that the legacy of the qualifying law degree is clearly influencing the new normal and suggests several questions which this raises for undergraduate legal education going forward.’

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The Law Teacher, 22nd January 2025

Source: www.tandfonline.com

R v Jones Case Comment: Running diminished responsibility without an expert – Pump Court Chambers

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in chambers articles, diminished responsibility, expert witnesses, homicide, news by sally

‘Diminished responsibility is one of the partial defences available to those charged with murder. If a defendant is found to have had diminished responsibility during the commission of the offence, they are not acquitted but rather found guilty of voluntary manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.’

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Pump Court Chambers, 20th December 2025

Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com

Legal challenges to UK infrastructure projects to be blocked in push for growth – The Guardian

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in airports, energy, environmental protection, judicial review, news, planning, railways by sally

‘Campaigners will be blocked from “excessive” legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects including airports, railways and nuclear power stations as part of the government’s drive for economic growth.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office ordered to provide adequate asylum accommodation to mother and severely disabled child following successful judicial review – Garden Court Chambers

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in asylum, chambers articles, children, disabled persons, housing, judicial review, ministers' powers and duties, news, statutory duty by sally

‘In a judgment handed down on 18 December 2024, the High Court declared that the Secretary of State for the Home Department (‘SSHD’) breached her duty to provide adequate asylum accommodation under sections 95 and 96 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The High Court granted a mandatory order requiring the Claimants (C1 and C2) to be moved to adequate accommodation that would meet the needs of the C2, a severely disabled child.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 19th December 2025

Source: gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Directors duties after the BHS decisions – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in chambers articles, company directors, insolvency, news by sally

‘In March 2015, BHS was sold for to Retail Acquisition Limited for the princely sum of just £1. Dominic Chappell (a thrice bankrupt former racing driver with no experience in retail) and his fellow directors took the helm of the struggling group. A little over a year later, in April 2016, BHS collapsed into administration and later insolvent liquidation by which point the net deficiency was a staggering £1.3 billion).’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 18th December 2025

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

Pension loss: a very brief introduction – Exchange Chambers

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in chambers articles, compensation, economic loss, news, pensions, personal injuries by sally

‘In the world of personal injury law, we often deal with things that are easy – for example, calculating a simple loss of earnings over a short period of time. We sometimes deal with things which are a bit harder – for example, the approach to loss of earnings where due to an accident the Claimant is now under a disability. However, we sometimes have to bite the bullet and deal with things which are nasty. Pension loss, unfortunately, is one of them.’

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Exchange Chambers, 3rd December 2025

Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk

Man ordered to pay £10,000 costs for failed LeO judicial review – Legal Futures

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in barristers, complaints, costs, executors, judicial review, legal ombudsman, news, solicitors by sally

‘A man whose application for permission to bring a judicial review against the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) was certified as totally without merit has been ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Kevin Clarke’s family denounce police discipline system after officers cleared – The Guardian

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in death in custody, disciplinary procedures, London, mental health, misfeasance in public office, news, police, restraint by sally

‘The family of a black man who died after being restrained by police officers who denied having heard him say “I can’t breathe” have condemned the police discipline system after two officers were cleared of gross misconduct.’

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Treasury seeks to intervene in Supreme Court motor finance case – Legal Futures

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in consent, consumer credit, consumer protection, disclosure, financial regulation, government departments, interest, loans, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The government has applied to intervene in the Supreme Court hearing on motor finance, expressing concern that the Court of Appeal ruling could have a significant and potentially damaging impact on the market.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Revised terror laws will not include disruptive protest, says No 10 – The Guardian

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in children, demonstrations, murder, news, terrorism, violence, young offenders, young persons by sally

‘An overhaul of laws on terrorism after the Southport murders will not expand the definition to take in disruptive but non-violent protest, Downing Street has said, as MPs and senior lawyers warned about potential risks to the plan.’

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com