No QOCS here: A Guide to the CPR Amendments you may have missed – Zenith Chambers

“In all of the furore surrounding LASPO and the very real concerns about funding, it seems that very little attention has been paid to the significant changes to the CPR which will come into force on 1st April 2013. This is not an article about funding, legal aid, CFAs, DBAs, or even QOCS. Instead it is intended to provide an overview and guidance on the amendments being made to the CPR.”

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Zenith Chambers, 28th March 2013

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Jackson: lawyers welcome implementation of long-awaited reforms – The Lawyer

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in budgets, costs, disclosure, legal profession, news by sally

“Disputes lawyers across the market have broadly welcomed the Jackson Reforms, which come into force today, saying they will ease the burden created by disclosure.”

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The Lawyer, 1st April 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Former prison officer jailed for Jon Venables leak – Daily Telegraph

“A former prison officer has been jailed for selling information to a newspaper
on Jon Venables, one of Jamie Bulger’s killers.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Human Rights and Family Law Spring Update – Family Law Week

“Deirdre Fottrell, barrister of Coram Chambers, reviews recent cases involving human rights issues which are of significance to family lawyers.”

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Family Law Week, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Alexander Litvinenko inquest delayed for five months – BBC News

Posted March 15th, 2013 in disclosure, documents, inquests, news, spying by tracey

“The inquest into the death of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London has been delayed until 2 October. The poisoned KGB agent’s inquest was due to start on 1 May, but at a pre-inquest review coroner Sir Robert Owen said he was postponing it ‘with great reluctance.’ The UK government and Russia had been slow to release material, he said at a Royal Courts of Justice hearing.”

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BBCNews, 14th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Disclosure of ill-treatment allegations would breach nurse’s human rights, rules High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 12th, 2013 in disclosure, human rights, judicial review, news, nurses, proportionality, vetting by sally

“This was an application for judicial review, and a claim under the Human Rights Act 1998, in respect of the defendant’s decision to disclose allegations of neglect and ill-treatment of care home residents in an Enhanced Criminal Records Certificate dated 12th October 2012.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th March 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Exclusive: Chilcot Inquiry to challenge official line on Iraq – The Independent

Posted March 6th, 2013 in disclosure, electronic mail, evidence, inquiries, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The inquiry into how Tony Blair committed Britain to war in Iraq is set to challenge the official version of events when it reports later this year, The Independent understands. The team led by Sir John Chilcot, which is examining Britain’s part in the US-led invasion, will ‘challenge previous accounts of what happened’, according to senior sources in the inquiry.”

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The Independent, 6th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina (Omar and others) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – WLR Daily

Regina (Omar and others) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [2013] EWCA Civ 118; [2013] WLR (D) 84

“The court had no power to make an order requiring the disclosure of evidence to be used in overseas criminal proceedings except pursuant to the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003.”

WLR Daily, 27th February 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Campaigners unite against secret courts – The Guardian

“An alliance of more than 100 human rights groups, legal experts and free press campaigners has called on MPs to vote against government plans for ‘secret courts’ – branding them “a charter for cover-ups” that will seriously undermine the principles of British justice.”

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The Guardian, 3rd March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK files on murdered spy Litvinenko must stay secret, rules coroner – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2013 in confidentiality, disclosure, documents, inquests, intelligence services, murder, news by sally

“Media groups have expressed disappointment after a coroner ruled that secret government files on the murdered Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko would be examined in private.”

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The Guardian, 27th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Disclosures made after employment ends can be protected under whistleblowing rules says tribunal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 27th, 2013 in disclosure, employment tribunals, news, whistleblowers by sally

“Employees who ‘blow the whistle’ on bad behaviour by bosses can still take advantage of legal protections even after the employment relationship has ended, a tribunal has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Litvinenko inquest: newspapers launch challenge over withholding of evidence – The Guardian

“Media groups will on Tuesday challenge what they describe as a ‘deeply troubling’ attempt by the government to withhold evidence from the inquest into the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.”

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The Guardian, 25th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Upper Tribunal issues further decision in Prince Charles’ letters saga – Panopticon

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in disclosure, judicial review, news, parliament, public interest, royal family, veto by sally

“In the latest round of the legal and political boxing match that the Evans case has become, the Upper Tribunal (‘UT’), chaired by Walker J, has decided that the government should release its ‘schedules and lists’ of ‘advocacy correspondence’ between Prince Charles and various government departments.”

Full story

Panopticon, 21st February 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Divorcing couples often hide assets, survey suggests – BBC News

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in disclosure, dispute resolution, divorce, news, penalties by sally

“Many people going through divorce could be hiding their wealth from their partners, a survey suggests.”

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BBC News, 22nd February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Daily Mirror fined for naming alleged sexual assault victim – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2013 in complaints, disclosure, fines, media, news, victims by sally

“The Daily Mirror has been fined and censured for unlawfully naming an alleged sexual assault victim in a court report.”

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The Guardian, 19th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Greater transparency at the heart of the Regulator’s determinations guidelines – 11 Stone Buildings

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consultations, disclosure, news, pensions by sally

“The Pensions Regulator has published revisions to the current Determinations Panel procedure as well as a separate Case Team procedure following a period of consultation. The procedures detail the processes used by the Determinations Panel and the regulator’s case teams in cases where the final decision rests with the Panel. Thomas Robinson, barrister at 11 Stone Buildings, explains the key changes and their potential impact on pension schemes.”

Full story

11 Stone Buildings, February 2013

Source: www.11sb.com

Attorney General probe over ‘Jon Venables picture’ published on Twitter – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 14th, 2013 in anonymity, contempt of court, disclosure, identification, internet, news by sally

“A photograph posted on Twitter that may have exposed the new identity of James Bulger’s killer Jon Venables was on Wednesday night being investigated by the Attorney General’s office as a possible contempt of court.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Saudi princes warn of damage to UK relations if allegations emerge in trial – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2013 in appeals, disclosure, immunity, news, royal family, shareholders by sally

“Relations between the UK and Saudi Arabia will suffer if what are said to be highly damaging allegations about business deals surface during a London trial, lawyers for two Saudi princes have warned the high court.”

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The Guardian, 13th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Does VTB v Nutritek foreshadow the Supreme Court’s approach to the Petrodel appeal on piercing the corporate veil? – Family Law week

“Emily Marshall, family law professional support lawyer at Irwin Mitchell considers the possible implications of the Supreme Court’s decision in a commercial case on the forthcoming appeal in the Petrodel appeal, to be heard in March.”

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Family Law Week, 11th February 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Video journalist fights court application over EDL footage – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2013 in disclosure, evidence, media, news, police, video recordings by sally

“A video journalist is fighting a court application by police to force him to hand over footage he shot of the English Defence League.”

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The Guardian, 11th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk