Council to consider costs pursuit after judgment issued in libraries dispute – Local Government Lawyer

‘Lincolnshire County Council has said it will consult its lawyers about the recovery of its costs after a High Court judge set out why in July she rejected a legal challenge to the authority’s plans for its libraries services.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Review of coroner services launched – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 21st, 2015 in bereavement, codes of practice, consultations, coroners, inquests, news, time limits by sally

‘Major reforms which have put bereaved people at the heart of the coroner system will be reviewed to see what further improvement can be made, Justice Minister Caroline Dinenage has announced.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 15th October 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Uber wins high court case over taxi app – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2015 in competition, consultations, internet, news, taxis, telecommunications by sally

‘The taxi-booking service Uber has received a boost after the high court ruled that its app was legal in London. Had it lost the case, the company would have been forced to change its service to comply with rules that protect black-cab drivers.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Barristers set for freedom to operate through corporate vehicles and agencies – Legal Futures

Posted October 15th, 2015 in barristers, consultations, employment, news by sally

‘Barristers are to be allowed to operate through agencies and corporate vehicles under proposals released today by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

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Legal Futures, 13th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar regulator wants to remove restrictions on employed barristers, seeking views – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 14th, 2015 in barristers, consultations, employment, law firms, press releases by tracey

‘The regulator is seeking to broaden the definition of employment for barristers working in-house for organisations that are not authorised law firms, in a new consultation launched today.’

Full press release

Bar Stadards Board, 13th October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Appealing energy price controls: guidance for beginners from the CMA – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted October 12th, 2015 in appeals, competition, consultations, energy, judicial review, news by tracey

‘The CMA recently published its final determinations in two appeals brought by British Gas and Northern Powergrid against Ofgem’s electricity price controls for the next 8 years (decisions here and here). The appeals were the first under section 11C of the Electricity Act 1989 and the CMA’s decisions will therefore be the first port of call for any practitioners considering appeals against not only price controls but also any modifications made by Ofgem to electricity distributors’ licences.’

Full story

Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 9th October 2015

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Court estate consolidation plans based on flawed data – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 12th, 2015 in consultations, courts, delay, Law Society, local government, news, solicitors, statistics by tracey

‘Lawyers and justice campaigners have raised fresh concerns about the government’s court closure programme, alleging that the proposals are based on out-of-date travel times and other dubious data.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update October 2015 – Family Law Week

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during September 2015.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 11th October 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Court closure consultation in England and Wales ends – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2015 in consultations, courts, news, tribunals by sally

‘A government consultation on plans to close 91 courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and integrate or merge another 31, is closing.’

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BBC News, 8th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gambling operators would face practical difficulties in implementing proposed crime controls, says expert – The Guardian

Posted October 8th, 2015 in consultations, crime, EC law, gambling, licensing, money laundering, news by sally

‘Gambling operators would face practical difficulties in adhering to new anti-crime controls proposed by the British Gambling Commission, an expert has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 7th October 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Guidance first on theft offences – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 6th, 2015 in consultations, news, sentencing, theft by sally

‘Courts have today received comprehensive sentencing guidance for all theft offences for the first time.’

Full story

Law Society Gazette, 6th September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Many parts of the Bar are in severe pain,” acknowledges BSB chair – Legal Futures

Posted October 6th, 2015 in barristers, consultations, litigants in person, news, speeches by sally

‘The present model for delivering justice in the criminal, family and immigration courts has become “increasingly challenged” and “many parts of the Bar are in severe pain”, the chair of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Further court fee hikes “a denial of access to justice”, CJC says – Litigation Futures

Posted October 5th, 2015 in appeals, arbitration, civil justice, consultations, courts, fees, news, statistics by sally

‘A further round of court fee increases would amount to a “denial of access to justice”, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) has warned, adding its voice to the cacophony of opposition from the legal profession.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 5th October 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Government to outlaw legal referral fees – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in advocacy, consultations, criminal justice, fees, press releases, quality assurance by tracey

‘A new statutory ban on referral fees in criminal cases is among proposals announced by the Legal Aid Minister Shailesh Vara today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 1st Ocotber 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Regulators issue consultation on minor changes to QASA – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, consultations, quality assurance, solicitors by tracey

‘Legal regulators Bar Standards Board (BSB), Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and CILEx Regulation, the three also known as the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG), are preparing for the implementation of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) by launching a new consultation today.’

Full consultation

Bar Standards Board, 1st October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

UK consults on ‘improvements’ to environmental costs protection rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 1st, 2015 in consultations, costs, EC law, environmental protection, news by sally

‘The UK government has begun a preliminary consultation on changes to the costs protection rules in environmental cases in England and Wales. The Environmental Costs Protection Regime is designed to ensure that it is not “prohibitively expensive” for campaigners and members of the public to challenge the decisions of public bodies. Improvements to the regime are needed to address concerns raised by the European Commission over the UK’s approach to the rules, particularly the fact that they do not take into account challengers’ individual financial circumstances. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) upheld the Commission’s case in February 2014.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th September 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

SRA asks public for help in how it should judge solicitors’ behaviour – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday launched a massive public opinion poll to help it determine the correct baseline of solicitors’ behaviour on which it should base regulatory decisions.’
Full story

Legal Futures, 1st October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Civil court fee increases a ‘serious own goal’ – City lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 30th, 2015 in civil justice, consultations, courts, dispute resolution, fees, news by sally

‘Further civil court fee increases could force international businesses to take their legal work outside the UK, City lawyers have warned.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 29th September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

CJC “conceptually” against new financial information rules for judicial review claimants – Litigation Futures

Posted September 29th, 2015 in Civil Justice Council, consultations, costs, disclosure, news by sally

‘The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has made it clear that it remains “conceptually” opposed to the new financial information rules for judicial review applicants, despite their passage into law in the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 29th September 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Report: “Serious irreversible harm” test case heard in Court of Appeal

Posted September 28th, 2015 in appeals, asylum, bills, consultations, deportation, human rights, immigration, news, public interest by sally

‘This week, Lord Justices Elias, Richards and McCombe sat in the Court of Appeal and heard the first test cases against Section 94B of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Section 94B, introduced by the Immigration Act 2014 and which came into force on 28th July 2014, provides the Home Office the power to certify human rights claims made by people liable to deportation, so they are not entitled to an appeal within the UK. Instead they are expected to bring their appeal from the country in which the Home Office propose deportation. This logic has been catchily titled “deport first, appeal later” and the Conservatives pledged in their manifesto to roll it out for all immigration appeals. Indeed, the Immigration Bill 2015, published last week on 17th September, does just that.’

Full story

Free Movement, 25th September 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk