Modern slavery offences sentencing guidelines published – Sentencing Council

‘We have published new sentencing guidelines for sentencing offenders convicted of modern slavery offences in England and Wales, following consultation. The new guidelines will give judges and magistrates dedicated guidelines to follow when sentencing offenders guilty of offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, including slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and trafficking for the purposes of exploitation.’

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Sentencing Council, 12th August 2021

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Unfair dismissal and religion again: Ferguson v Kintail Trustees – Law & Religion UK

‘In Mr K Ferguson v Kintail Trustees Ltd & Anor [2021] ET 4103321/2020, the claimant was Director and Chief Executive of Kintail Trustees, a limited company that operates as the corporate trustee of the Robertson Trust, a charity. He was also an elder, the treasurer and a trustee of Stirling Free Church of Scotland’

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Law & Religion UK, 9th August 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Bar Council and judiciary to take action on bullying from the bench – Legal Futures

Posted August 6th, 2021 in barristers, bullying, codes of practice, judiciary, news by tracey

‘The Bar Council recently met with the senior judiciary in a bid to ensure there are proper consequences for judges who bully barristers.’

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Legal Futures, 6th August 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New guidelines to sentence trade mark offences published – Sentencing Council

‘Two new sentencing guidelines for sentencing individuals or companies that sell or possess counterfeit goods intended for sale were published by the Sentencing Council today, following consultation.’

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Sentencing Council, 5th August 2021

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Right-to-work regime – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Home Office has issued new right-to-work guidance as the Brexit transitional arrangements for EU workers in the UK came to an end on 30 June 2021.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 2nd August 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New Judgment: R (on the application of A) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] UKSC 37 – UKSC Blog

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed this appeal concerning the standards to be applied by a court on judicial review of the contents of a policy document or statement of practice issued by a public authority. It is one of two appeals heard by the same panel of five Justices examining similar issues. It should be read together with the Court’s judgment in R (on the application of BF (Eritrea)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] UKSC 38.’

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UKSC Blog, 30th July 2021

Source: ukscblog.com

Defensive Advising Strategies 2: Know Your Client – Wilberforce Chambers

‘With a history in the world of financial services regulation, “know your customer/client” or “KYC” is a cornerstone of professional practice. What does it mean for legal professionals? In this instalment of my series on defensive advising strategies, I consider three aspects of KYC which are particularly relevant to lawyers, with an emphasis on the interface between solicitors and other professionals and the barristers they instruct. This perspective is based on my own experience as a practitioner and raises issues which crop up relatively frequently.’

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Wilberforce Chambers, 22nd July 2021

Source: www.wilberforce.co.uk

CPS publishes updated guidance for handling of illegal entry cases via small boats – Crown Prosecution Service

‘Prosecutors and law enforcement agencies have agreed a consistent approach to the handling of cases involving illegal entry to the UK via small boats and lorries.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 8th July 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Rape victims still face police phone trawl, says commissioner – BBC News

‘Proposals for England and Wales mean people who claim to have been raped will still face pressure to hand over their phones to police and prosecutors, says the victims’ commissioner.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Have confidence to speak up’: whistleblowing policy for judges unveiled – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2021 in codes of practice, judges, judiciary, news, whistleblowers by tracey

‘The lord chief justice and senior president of tribunals want all judges to feel confident to speak up about any wrongdoing, according to a new whistleblowing policy unveiled this week. The 12-page Judicial Whistleblowing Policy: How to report wrongdoing document was published on the judicial intranet on Wednesday.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 25th June 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New minimum standards for rape and sexual assault victim support – Crown Prosecution Service

‘We know that when victims have good emotional and practical support from our excellent ISVA partners, and close liaison with police and prosecutors, the criminal justice process becomes more manageable for them and justice outcomes improve. Currently there is a gap on setting out what best practice looks like – this framework aims to close that gap. New minimum standards for the support of rape and sexual violence victims have today (Friday 18 June) been published by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 17th June 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

A new ABPI Code for 2021 – Mills & Reeve

Posted June 8th, 2021 in agreements, codes of practice, medicines, news by sally

‘The 2021 version of the ABPI Code will come into effect on 1 July. This brings in important changes to the self-regulatory system for the UK pharma industry. It amounts to the most substantial refresh of the Code since the 1990s.’

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Mills & Reeve, 4th June 2021

Source: www.mills-reeve.com

UK guide on data transfer codes and certification anticipated – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 3rd, 2021 in codes of practice, data protection, EC law, news by sally

‘New guidance on how businesses might use codes of conduct and certification schemes to demonstrate their compliance with rules governing international data transfers could be issued by the UK’s data protection authority in a matter of weeks, Out-Law has learned.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 2nd June 2021

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Police and prosecutors must focus on actions of alleged rapists not victims, new guidance says – The Independent

‘Police and prosecutors are to place greater focus on the actions of alleged rapists rather than their victims, after charges hit a record low. New legal guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) says investigators must use an “offender-centric” approach and look closely at the actions of suspects before, during and after reported attacks.’

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The Independent, 21st May 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

CPS updates rape legal guidance to reflect rapid growth in digital evidence – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The CPS has published refreshed rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) legal guidance, delivering on our ongoing commitment to make the prosecution of these crimes reflect today’s rapidly changing society.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 21st May 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Universities could face fines over free speech breaches – BBC News

‘Universities in England could face fines under new legislation if they fail to protect free speech on campus.’

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BBC News, 12th May 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New inquiry to be launched into civil servants taking second jobs – The Guardian

‘A new inquiry will be launched into civil servants taking second jobs, likely leading to officials facing tougher scrutiny after the Greensill scandal, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 25th April 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ban on unsolicited approaches ‘hits access to justice’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 12th, 2021 in codes of practice, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘The blanket ban on solicitors making unsolicited approaches to clients could act as a barrier to access to justice, according to a solicitor campaigning for a relaxation of the rule. Tobias Haynes, a dispute resolution specialist at Midlands firm Martin Kaye Solicitors, last week opened an online petition for solicitors to be allowed to contact potential clients by email or letter.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 9th April 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Police watchdog accused of skewing report to back protests clampdown – The Guardian

‘The official policing inspectorate showed repeated bias in favour of the police and against peaceful protesters as it compiled a report which backed a government clampdown, a whistleblower has alleged. The complainant says a report on protest released in March this year was skewed in favour of the government view, with conclusions reached before evidence was gathered and assessed.’

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The Guardian, 31st March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Forensic Science – Codes of Practice and Joint Statements – 2 Hare Court

‘Two new publications were issued by the Forensic Science Regulator (“FSR”) in February 2021.’

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2 Hare Court, 25th February 2021

Source: www.2harecourt.com