Government urged not to resurrect fees for UK employment tribunals – The Guardian

‘Unions and workers’ rights groups are urging the government to reconsider plans to reintroduce fees for employment tribunals amid fears it will encourage exploitation.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Proposed sentencing guidelines for aggravated vehicle taking and motoring offences unveiled – Solicitors Journal

Posted February 23rd, 2024 in consultations, dangerous driving, news, road traffic offences, sentencing, theft by michael

‘The independent Sentencing Council has published proposed sentencing guidelines for individuals convicted of motoring offences committed while driving vehicles without the owner’s consent.’

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Solicitors Journal, 21st February 2024

Source: www.solicitorsjournal.com

Consultation on Martyn’s law published but questions remain – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK government’s consultation on proposed changes to the requirements for standard tier premises under draft anti-terrorism legislation confirms a commitment to proportionality. However, questions remain, including on what businesses must do to protect against acts of terrorism, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 14th February 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

City council facing second judicial review challenge over tree felling – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 13th, 2024 in consultations, judicial review, local government, news, planning, trees by tracey

‘A fresh judicial review threat has been made over Plymouth City Council’s controversial redevelopment plans, which saw the local authority fell more than a hundred trees on a city street.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th February 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law group’s redundant workers awarded £570k by tribunal – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 8th, 2024 in compensation, consultations, employment tribunals, news, redundancy by tracey

‘Dozens of former Metamorph staff laid off when the group went under are collectively entitled to £570,000 in compensation, a tribunal has ruled.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th February 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Fatal domestic abuse reviews renamed to better recognise suicide cases – Home Office

Posted February 6th, 2024 in bereavement, bills, consultations, domestic violence, homicide, news, suicide by tracey

‘Domestic Homicide Reviews will be renamed to Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews following calls to better recognise deaths from domestic abuse related suicide.’

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Home Office, 5th February 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

MoJ to press ahead with fixed costs changes amid JR threat – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is pressing ahead with reforms to the fixed recoverable costs (FRC) regime that came into force in October, opening the door to a possible court challenge.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government announces early legal advice pilot for separating couples – Legal Futures

‘The government is to launch a pilot of early legal advice for separating couples to judge what impact it could have to speed up a resolution.’

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Legal Furures, 26th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New year, same ethnicity pay gap concerns – still no mandatory reporting – Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog

‘After five years of consultation, last year the government confirmed there are no plans to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory for employers. The ethnicity pay gap being the difference between the average earnings of white employees and those of other ethnic groups.’

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Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

BSB launches a public consultation on amending the definition of academic legal training – Bar Standards Board

Posted January 15th, 2024 in barristers, consultations, education, legal education, news by tracey

‘The BSB has launched a three-month public consultation to seek views on our proposed approach to revising the definition of academic legal training and to dealing with consequential waivers and exemptions.’

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Bar Standards Board, 9th January 2024

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

An end to ‘a reasonable period’? Awaab’s Law – Nearly Legal

‘As you will doubtless recall, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 introduced a new section 10A Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, implying a term into all social tenancies that the landlord will comply with all “prescribed requirements” on responding to relevant defects to be specified in regulations – the framework for “Awaab’s Law”. A breach of section 10A would be actionable by the tenant in the County Court – quite possibly together with section 9A/10 and section 11.’

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Nearly Legal, 9th January 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Government consults on legal requirements for social landlords to address hazards including damp and mould quickly – and in some cases within 24 hours – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has launched a consultation on the introduction of strict time limits for social housing providers requiring them to take swift action in addressing dangerous hazards such as damp and mould.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Easier access to historic wills under new government plans – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 19th, 2023 in archives, consultations, Ministry of Justice, news, wills by tracey

‘The ambitious digitisation programme could see millions of wills dating back more than 150 years moved online and more easily accessible to the public in a bid to improve the current storage system.’

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Ministry of Justice, 15th December 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Ministry of Justice plan to destroy historical wills is ‘insane’, say experts – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2023 in archives, consultations, Ministry of Justice, news, wills by tracey

‘“Sheer vandalism” and “insane”. This is how leading historians on Monday described government plans to destroy millions of historical wills to save on storage costs. The Ministry of Justice is consulting on digitising and then throwing away about 100m paper originals of the last wills and testaments of British people dating back more than 150 years in an effort to save £4.5m a year.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Civil Justice Council working group consult on procedure for determining mental capacity in civil proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Civil Justice Council (CJC) working group has launched a consultation on the procedure for determining mental capacity in civil proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Strikes: what will minimum service levels look like in the education sector? – Local Goverment Lawyer

‘The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 came into force on 20 July 2023 and gives the government powers to make regulations to set minimum service levels in specified sectors during strikes. This includes education. Joanne Moseley looks at the implications for the sector.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Judicial Guidance – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted December 15th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, codes of practice, consultations, judges, judiciary, news by tracey

‘The use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) throughout society continues to increase, and so does its relevance to the court and tribunal system. All judicial office holders must be alive to the potential risks. Of particular importance, as the guidance document emphasises, is the need to be aware that the public versions of these tools are open in nature and therefore that no private or confidential information should be entered into them.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 12th December 2023

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Amendments at the appeal stage – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 11th, 2023 in agriculture, appeals, consultations, local government, news, planning by tracey

‘Wheatcroft, then Holborn, now Bramley – the Planning Court has ruled on practicalities of amendments at appeal stage. Thea Osmund-Smith and Odette Chalaby provide a digest of the decision.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Bringing the Right to Die to the British Isles (Part II): The Cautionary Experience of Australia’s Northern Territory – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted November 30th, 2023 in assisted suicide, bills, consultations, euthanasia, news by sally

‘Part I of this blog discussed the legality of assisted dying in the Isle of Man at present and the proposed legalisation of assisted dying and voluntary euthanasia under the Assisted Dying Bill 2023. If enacted, the Isle of Man will become the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to legalise any form of assisted dying, although the legislatures of the UK, Ireland, and Jersey are currently conducting consultations on such laws. However, there is precedent for a semi-independent jurisdiction, like the Isle of Man, spearheading the legalisation of assisted dying and voluntary euthanasia – and being reprimanded as a result.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 29th November 2023

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

High court challenge to ‘constitutionally unprecedented’ UK anti-protest law – The Guardian

‘A new law making it easier for the police to put conditions on peaceful protests is “constitutionally unprecedented” and unlawful, according to a claim filed at the high court in London.’

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The Guardian, 29th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com