New instructions surge past pre-lockdown levels – Legal Futures

Posted August 28th, 2020 in coronavirus, legal profession, legal services, news, statistics by sally

‘Legal activity has bounced back to 130% of pre-Covid levels with conveyancing continuing to rise steadily and several other practice areas also buoyant, new figures have shown.’

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Legal Futures, 28th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

COVID-19 – Enforcing safety guidelines in pubs and other licensed premises – No. 5 Chambers

Posted August 27th, 2020 in coronavirus, health & safety, licensed premises, licensing, news, regulations by sally

‘On the 8th of August 2020, the Local Government Association (“LGA”) called for a new temporary public health or COVID-19 licensing objective to be inserted into the Licensing Act (“LA”) 2003.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 14th August 2020

Source: www.no5.com

What does the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme mean for employers? – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted August 27th, 2020 in coronavirus, dismissal, employment, health & safety, news, redundancy, remuneration by sally

‘The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the Scheme) is winding down in advance of its complete closure on 31 October 2020. This short article will discuss some of the practical and legal challenges that employers face in bringing workers back to work and how these can be met.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 26th August 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Family Law Newsletter – Spire Barristers

Posted August 27th, 2020 in care orders, children, citizenship, contact orders, coronavirus, news by sally

‘Issue #37 of Spire Barristers’ Family Law Newsletter: edited by Connie Purdy and Taz Irshad; news and Case Reviews by Georgina Dalton. Georgina commences pupillage at Spire Barristers in September 2020.’

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Spire Barristers, 26th August 2020

Source: spirebarristers.co.uk

Reopening Workplaces: Considerations for Commercial Landlord and Tenants – Thomas More Chambers

Posted August 27th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, health & safety, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘With more businesses reopening their previously closed premises and following the Prime Minister’s recent encouragement for employees to return to work, it is important that commercial landlords and tenants consider their statutory health and safety obligations and enact all appropriate measures.’

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Thomas More Chambers, 5th August 2020

Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk

Mother and grandparents win appeal over interim care orders – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a mother and the maternal grandparents against interim care orders made in respect of three children, saying the transcript of the hearing before the recorder “demonstrates once again the difficulties facing courts required to conduct hearings remotely because of the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Taxi drivers group eyes legal challenge over ‘Streetspace’ policy of London mayor and TfL – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 26th, 2020 in bicycles, coronavirus, local government, London, news, road safety, roads, taxis by sally

‘The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LDTA) plans a legal challenge to London mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) over their Streetspace policy.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Has the revolution happened? Can we ever go back? – Transparency Project

‘The Lord Chief Justice called it “the biggest pilot project that the justice system has ever seen” and said “there will be no going back to February 2020”. Remote court hearings would have come sooner or later, but thanks to Covid-19 they came at us fast, in March 2020, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Ironically, they were one of the things the massive £1bn court modernisation programme was supposed to have developed, but when it came to the crunch HMCTS wasn’t quite ready so there was “the most extraordinary scramble”, said Professor Hazel Genn, to find solutions that worked.’

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Transparency Project, 25th August 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Quarantined legal professionals should not be permitted to attend court, says Law Society – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Law Society of England and Wales has warned that legal professionals should not break quarantine to attend hearings and tribunals despite government guidance that lawyers will be allowed to break the mandatory self-isolation period to attend court or tribunal hearings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Black organiser of UK anti-racism rally threatened with arrest – The Guardian

‘A black community activist has accused police of discrimination after he was threatened with arrest and prosecution for organising an upcoming anti-racism protest march in London.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Stop-and-search use in London rose 40% in lockdown, figures show – The Guardian

Posted August 25th, 2020 in coronavirus, London, news, police, statistics, stop and search by sally

‘Stop and searches in London rose by 40% during lockdown and a lower proportion of them led to arrests, figures show.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suitability, affordability and benefit claims – Nearly Legal

‘A interim judicial review decision from May, but judgment just out. The issue was the suitability of temporary accommodation under section 188 Housing Act 1996 (judicial review necessary, as no s.202 review option on s.188 accommodation).’

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Nearly Legal, 23rd August 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Coronavirus: Bailiffs return to chase pre-lockdown unpaid debts – BBC News

Posted August 24th, 2020 in bailiffs, charities, coronavirus, council tax, debts, fines, news by sally

‘Bailiffs are resuming operations in England and Wales chasing unpaid council tax after a five-month suspension owing to coronavirus.’

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BBC News, 24th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Eviction ban extended by four weeks – Local Government Lawyer

‘The ban on tenant evictions, which was set to expire on Monday 23rd August, has been extended for a further four weeks until 20th September.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law Society and Bar Council at odds over quarantine exemption – Legal Futures

Posted August 24th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, freedom of movement, Law Society, news, trials by sally

‘The Law Society has spoken out against a government clarification sought by Bar Council that means anyone self-isolating after returning from abroad can break quarantine to attend court.’

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Legal Futures, 21st August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Police crack down on illegal raves ahead of introduction of £10k fine – The Guardian

Posted August 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, fines, freedom of movement, news, police, public order by sally

‘Fines of up to £10,000 for those organising illegal raves in England will come into force on Friday following another weekend of unlawful gatherings across the country.’

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The Guardian, 23rd August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Councils warn of “cliff edge” with 500,000 people at risk of eviction once stay on proceedings is lifted – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 21st, 2020 in coronavirus, debts, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, rent, repossession by sally

‘Councils have warned that hundreds of thousands of people could be at risk of eviction when the stay on possession proceedings introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end on 23 August.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Steep fall in injury claims during lockdown – Litigation Futures

‘There was a 38% fall in the number of injury claims registered with the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) during the first three months of lockdown, government figures have confirmed.’

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Litigation Futures, 20th August 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Bar students call on regulator to waive exam requirement – Legal Futures

Posted August 20th, 2020 in barristers, computer programs, coronavirus, examinations, legal education, news by sally

‘A petition calling on the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to waive the requirement that Bar students complete the centralised BSB exams has attracted more than 1,000 signatures on its first day.’

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Legal Futures, 20th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Claimants vow to appeal after High Court dismisses challenge over “downgrading” during pandemic of rights of children with SEN – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has dismissed a legal challenge to the Education Secretary’s decisions to reduce the obligations on local authorities to make statutory educational and health care provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in England during the pandemic.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk