The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – An Overview – Doughty Street Chambers

‘On 20th March 2020, HMRC announced that it would set up the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to prevent mass redundancies and unemployment in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. On 26th March 2020, HMRC published further guidance on the scheme. The guidance was then updated on 4th April 2020 and again on 9th April 2020.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 14th April 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

COVID-19, the self-employed and the Bar – a wobbly scheme? – Doughty Street Chambers

‘The Government approved a package of measures targeting the self-employed in response to the Covid-19 crisis. But are these measures sufficient and will they adequately safeguard members of the self-employed Bar, lower paid employees and workers in the gig economy and see sets of Chambers through the crisis? Doughty Street’s employment law team is available to advise on any employment issues that may arise in relation to employment status, sham self-employment agreements and the government’s financial assistance packages in the wake of Covid-19.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 10th April 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Changes to the Care Act 2014 – 39 Essex Chambers

‘Siân Davies, barrister at 39 Essex Chambers, discusses the Care Act easements, provided for under the Coronavirus Act 2020. She examines the guidance for local authorities on when it is appropriate to use the Care Act easements, emphasises the information that should be given to those being assessed and debates what changes to safeguarding policies may occur during the relaxation period. She also analyses the relationship between the Care Act easements guidance and the Hospital Discharge Service Requirements.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 7th April 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Serious sexual offences involving Medical professionals: Catherine Silverton shares 18 years’ of trial experience – Park Square Barristers

‘Sexual allegations can be distinguished from criminal allegations of other types by virtue of often being prosecuted purely on the basis of one person’s word. There are invariably no witnesses to the interaction between the Complainant and Defendant during which the alleged offence is said to have been committed. There is very rarely any physical or scientific evidence capable of proving or refuting the allegation. No circumstantial evidence. No technological evidence. Sexual allegations are increasingly made weeks, months or even years after the alleged event, by which time delay has frayed memories on all sides which leaves nothing but word against word.’

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Park Square Barristers, 7th April 2020

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Making Remote Hearings Work – St John’s Chambers

‘A broad experience is building up among advocates with the use of remote hearings. Although many courts are still using telephone links (and for many litigants who do not have access to more sophisticated technology, this will remain the default medium) the use of video links is becoming more of a normal experience.’

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St John's Chambers, 8th April 2020

Source: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk

Interim Separation During Proceedings – Becket Chambers

‘We have all experienced cases, especially when representing a young mother who has been placed with the child, often a first child and a baby, in a mother and baby foster placement and that placement has broken down for a variety of different reasons.’

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Becket Chambers, 9th April 2020

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Vicarious liability (and data protection): two cases – Six Pump Court

‘Morrisons, heard recently in the Supreme Court, concerns vicarious liability for a rogue data controller. Together with another Supreme Court case, Barclays Bank, these two cases cover all the key issues.’

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Six Pump Court, 8th April 2020

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

What About – ‘PPE – Does the Government owe a legal duty to provide it?’ – Nexus Chambers

‘There is no doubt that the Government owes a moral duty to provide those on the frontline fighting this virus with the tools they need to work safely. Beyond the undeniable moral duty, does the Government owe them a legal duty as well?’

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Nexus Chambers, 10th April 2020

Source: www.nexuschambers.com

Articles 3 and 8 in the Time of Coronavirus: A New Case With Implications for Local Authorities Using the Care Act ‘Easements’ – Coronavirus: Guidance for Lawyers and Businesses

‘The Care Act ‘easements’ were brought into force on 31 March 2020. Per the statutory guidance, local authorities may take a decision to apply the new and much higher threshold for receiving care. That threshold states that a person is not entitled to receive care and support from a local authority as a matter of right unless it is necessary to prevent a breach of the person’s human rights – most likely to be Articles 2, 3 or 8 of the European Convention. Arianne Kelly looks at the first case on the subject.’

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Coronavirus: Guidance for Lawyers and Businesses, 14th April 2020

Source: lawinthetimeofcorona.wordpress.com

Changing the locks during lockdown:The Coronavirus Act 2020, Commercial Property and Forfeiture – 3PB

Posted April 14th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, forfeiture, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘In recent years the rise of e-commerce has challenged the traditional High Street model as we know it. The high attrition rates on the High Street have been widely reported. For those retailers who have sought to avoid closing their businesses, Company Voluntary Agreements (“CVA’s”) have become popular in order to allow shops to keep trading.’

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3PB, 9th April 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Personal Protective Equipment: The Basic Legal Principles and Important Government Guidance – Coronavirus: Guidance for Lawyers and Businesses

‘The term “PPE” has become one of general comment and concern. Here our newest recruit at Kings Jasmine Chan explains the Regulations, the duties owed and the government guidance in relation to PPE and coronavirus.’

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Coronavirus: Guidance for Lawyers and Businesses, 2nd April 2020

Source: lawinthetimeofcorona.wordpress.com

Day v Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP [2020] EWCA Civ 447: Would your 12 year old understand when to stop?- Hailsham Chambers

Posted April 3rd, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, fees, illegality, law firms, negligence, news by sally

‘By this notable decision the Court of Appeal has offered a useful illustration of the strict limits to the scope for claims by previously convicted claimants against their former lawyers,
alleging negligence in respect of the defence of the earlier criminal proceedings.’

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Hailsham Chambers, 30th March 2020

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

Possession proceedings and COVID-19 – Henderson Chambers

‘With the government ordering people to stay at home during the COVID-19 global pandemic, questions necessarily arise for those whose “home” is a rented property. What does this mean for landlords and tenants alike? Broadly, whilst the Government made loud promises about banning evictions, the Coronavirus Act 2020 makes more ‘watered down’ provision, giving greater comfort to landlords but potentially leaving tenants mired in uncertainty.’

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Henderson Chambers, 27th March 2020

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Releasing the Pressure on Prisons – Nexus Chambers

Posted April 3rd, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, health, health & safety, news, prisons by sally

‘The Covid 19 pandemic has led to lock-downs of populations the world over. The global has become the local. For our safety we are subject to unprecedented restrictions on our movement. So, it is cruelly ironic that Government inaction has created the situation where Covid-19 has taken a hold on those in our prisons.’

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Nexus Chambers, 3rd April 2020

Source: www.nexuschambers.com

Sporting Event Cancellation Insurance: Will it play ball or be kicked into touch? – 4 New Square

Posted April 3rd, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, insurance, news, sport by sally

‘Many events, including music, theatre, conferences and exhibitions have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of COVID-19 and more will follow.’

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4 New Square, 25th March 2020

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Infrastructure and the Environment – some learning from Heathrow – No. 5 Chambers

‘At present, the contest between need and the environmental effects of expansion of Heathrow has been settled by a virus. The Government advises against all international travel. In the minds of many, and in particular the media, R (oao) Planet B Earth v Secretary of State for Transport [2020] EWCA Civ 214, is a case about climate change and, of course, it is. But it is also a case which yields learning in a host of other areas. This short piece highlights one of them. It is this question: in a technical or scientific case, how closely will the court mark the parties’ homework? Is it ‘tick and flick’ or PhD viva? As always, lawyers have coined their own term – ‘intrusiveness of review’.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 19th March 2020

Source: www.no5.com

COVID-19: Competition and State Aid Law During the Coronavirus Crisis – St John’s Chambers

Posted April 3rd, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, EC law, news, state aids by sally

‘This note reflects developments as at 26 March 2020. It provides an overview of how UK and
EU competition law and EU State aid law will apply during the COVID-19 crisis. It is not legal
advice and should not be relied upon as such.’

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St John's Chambers, 26th March 2020

Source: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk

Data Protection and Capital Punishment – The 36 Group

‘Case note on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Elgizouli (appellant) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (respondent) [2020] UKSC 10.’

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The 36 Group, 30th March 2020

Source: 36group.co.uk

Contracting with Coronavirus: the NEC contract terms – 39 Essex Chambers

‘This article, the second in a series of three articles, considers the effect of Coronavirus on the contract regimes applicable to NEC forms of contract. Other articles cover JCT terms, and the possible impact of the common law principle of frustration.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 27th March 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Coronavirus and Child Arrangement Orders by John Myers – Broadway House Chambers

‘Much anxiety has been caused to parents by the impact of the Government’s Stay at Home Rules on Child Arrangement Orders, and particularly on the requirement for children to spend time with the non-resident parent.’

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Broadway House Chambers, 26th March 2020

Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk