Menzies v Oakwood: requirement for specific agreement to transform retention of client monies into the payment of solicitors’ bills – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted January 24th, 2025 in appeals, fees, news, solicitors, Supreme Court, time limits by sally

‘In Menzies v Oakwood Solicitors [2024] UKSC 34, the Supreme Court considered the meaning of payment for the purposes of section 70(4) of the Solicitors Act 1974 (SA 1974).’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 20th December 2024

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

MPs to examine work of county court amid concerns over capacity and resources – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 24th, 2025 in county courts, delay, inquiries, local government, news, select committees by sally

‘The Justice Committee has launched a new inquiry to examine the work of the County Court amid “persistent” concerns over capacity and resources.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana jailed for 52 years for murder of three girls – The Guardian

‘The Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been jailed for a minimum of 52 years for the “ferocious” and “sadistic” knife rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

HO v TL – Business Valuations, Trust Interests & Needs Plus Costs – Becket Chambers

‘In view of the name of this case HO v TL [2024] 2 FLR 175, and the fact that the family business was a hotel business, I really hope that it will become known as “The Hotel Case”. Anyway, it does deserve to become known, because it is another decision from Peel J of the type referred to by Edward Kenny in his article last month, i.e. a really useful authority that sets out fundamental points, and quite a lot of them in this case. What is more, the costs decision in this case is also reported HO v TL (Costs) [2024] 2 FLR 200 and fits into the same category.’

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Becket Chambers, 18th December 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Immigration Blog: A Guide to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Practice Direction 2024 – Garden Court Chambers

Posted January 24th, 2025 in appeals, asylum, chambers articles, immigration, news by sally

‘On 1 November 2024, the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (FTT IAC) ushered in a new era with the publication of its latest Practice Direction (PD). This comprehensive document replaces previous iterations and Practice Statement No. 1 of 2022, signifying a considerable shift in the landscape of immigration and asylum appeals.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 19th December 2024

Source: gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Woman jailed over crash that killed baby outside hospital in Haverfordwest – The Guardian

‘A woman has been jailed for four years for causing the death of an eight-month-old baby girl in a crash outside a hospital after losing control of her car while reaching for a handbag.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council prosecution sees abortion clinic protestor hit with £7,500 costs order – Local Government Lawyer

‘A protester has been ordered to pay more than £7,500 after failing to comply with a public space protection order (PSPO), which created a designated safe zone outside a reproductive health clinic in Ealing.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in law reports by tracey

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

D8 v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWCA Civ 33 (22 January 2025)

O’Connor, R (On the Application Of) v Panel Chair (Police Misconduct Panel) (Rev1) [2025] EWCA Civ 27 (22 January 2025)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Smith, R. v [2025] EWCA Crim 25 (22 January 2025)

Skeene & Anor, R. v [2025] EWCA Crim 17 (21 January 2025)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Bashir v Drysdale, the Governor at His Majesty’s Prison Pentonville [2025] EWHC 101 (Admin) (22 January 2025)

Benn v General Medical Council [2025] EWHC 87 (Admin) (22 January 2025)

Amalgamated Smart Metering Ltd, R (On the Application Of) v Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council [2025] EWHC 97 (Admin) (22 January 2025)

Grants v Prosecutor General’s Office, Latvia [2025] EWHC 79 (Admin) (21 January 2025)

Cygnet Health Care Ltd, R (On the Application Of) v Care Quality Commission [2025] EWHC 1 (Admin) (21 January 2025)

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Aweys [2025] EWHC 78 (Admin) (21 January 2025)

Abdulhamid v General Medical Council [2025] EWHC 62 (Admin) (20 January 2025)

Csorba v Budapest Regional Court, Hungary [2025] EWHC 76 (Admin) (20 January 2025)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Mobile Telecommunications Company KSCP v HRH Prince Hussam Bin Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud [2025] EWHC 85 (Ch) (22 January 2025)

Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Ahmedivand (Re UK Dream House Ltd (Dissolved) – Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986) [2025] EWHC 98 (Ch) (22 January 2025)

Kington SARL v Thames Water Utilities Holdings Ltd (Rev1) [2025] EWHC 84 (Ch) (21 January 2025)

Contract Natural Gas Ltd v ZOG Energy Ltd [2025] EWHC 86 (Ch) (21 January 2025)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Google LLC & Anor v NAO Tsargrad Media & Ors [2025] EWHC 94 (Comm) (22 January 2025)

Alta Trading UK Ltd & Ors v Bosworth & Ors [2025] EWHC 91 (Comm) (22 January 2025)

Tyson International Company Ltd v GIC RE, India, Corporate Member Ltd [2025] EWHC 77 (Comm) (21 January 2025)

Court (King’s Bench Division)

Wm Morrison Supermarkets Ltd & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2025] EWHC 83 (KB) (21 January 2025)

Source: www.bailii.org

What qualifies a law degree: surveying elective module provision in undergraduate legal education across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2023–2024 – The Law Teacher

Posted January 23rd, 2025 in examinations, legal education, news, solicitors, statistics, universities by sally

‘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

‘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

‘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

‘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

‘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

Prince Harry settles legal claim against Sun publisher – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in damages, interception, media, news, privacy, royal family by Lily

‘The Duke of Sussex has settled his high court legal action at the eleventh hour against the publisher of the Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN).’

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Baroness Brenda Hale on a Long Career in the Law – Law Pod UK

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in diversity, equality, judges, Law Commission, legal profession, news, podcasts, privacy, women by Lily

‘Lady Hale discusses with Rosalind English the development of the right to privacy, reflects in her career in academia and the Law Commission, and ponders on the position of women in the legal profession today.’

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Law Pod UK, 20th January 2025

Source: audioboom.com