Category: public interest

Legal Services Board plots ethics overhaul amid evidence standards are slipping – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 7th, 2025 in legal education, legal services, Legal Services Board, news, non-disclosure agreements, professional conduct, public interest, standards by Lily

‘Legal education, training and regulation must be strengthened to stem a decline in ethical standards, the Legal Services Board has proposed. The oversight regulator wants to initiate a “significant shift” in how lawyers’ ethics are taught, overseen and supported in workplaces. This fresh approach is on the back of a growing body of “substantial evidence” that lawyers are unaware of their ethical requirements or even actively ignoring them.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA under fire for ignoring ‘legal intimidation’ tactics – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 7th, 2025 in defamation, law firms, news, prosecutions, public interest, Russia, Solicitors Regulation Authority, whistleblowers by Lily

‘An MP yesterday criticised the Solicitors Regulation Authority for failing to sanction lawyers who were facilitating “legal intimidation” on behalf of a Russian warlord. Lloyd Hatton, a member of the all-party anti-corruption parliamentary group, said regulators were allowing lawyers to be used as “hired guns” by rich and powerful clients.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Media lawyers overturn ‘secret inquest’ move – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 5th, 2025 in inquests, judicial review, news, private hearings, public interest by tracey

‘A group of media lawyers has helped overturn a coroner’s decision to hold the inquest into the death of a 38-year-old electrician in secret.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 4th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Mother seeks court’s permission to ‘tell her story’ in legal first – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 20th, 2025 in domestic violence, families, family courts, media, news, parental rights, public interest, rape, reporting restrictions, sexual offences by tracey

‘A mother whose rape allegation was wrongly dismissed is asking the High Court for permission to speak out about her case.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 20th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Kabul evacuation whistleblower wins case against UK government – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2025 in Afghanistan, civil servants, employment tribunals, government departments, news, public interest, whistleblowers by tracey

‘A civil servant who blew the whistle about the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and Boris Johnson’s involvement in a decision to evacuate a pet charity from Kabul has won her case for unfair dismissal against the government in a legal first.’

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The Guardian, 18th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Balancing Open Justice and Privacy: A Case Study on Taxpayer Anonymity in the Upper Tribunal – 33 Bedford Row

Posted November 26th, 2024 in anonymity, appeals, chambers articles, HM Revenue & Customs, media, news, privacy, public interest, taxation, tribunals by tracey

‘HMRC v The Taxpayer (Appellant) and Times Media Limtied and News Group Newspapers Limited and PA Media Tax Policy Associates Limited (Third Parties) [2024] UKUT 00364 (TCC). This case concerns an application for taxpayer anonymity in the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber). The taxpayer, who had initially appealed against HMRC’s denial of certain tax deductions, sought to keep their identity confidential during the proceedings and in the final decision. This request was opposed by HMRC and several media organizations, including Times Media Limited and News Group Newspapers Limited.’

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33 Bedford Row, 22nd November 2024

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk

Ethical clashes can cause young lawyers health problems – Legal Futures

Posted November 26th, 2024 in health, law firms, legal profession, news, public interest by tracey

‘Having a professional identity as a young lawyer that does not align with the values of your law firm could turn “wellbeing issues into serious health problems”, a leading legal academic has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 26th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Slapps used to silence whistleblowers should be outlawed, says group of MPs – The Guardian

Posted November 22nd, 2024 in defamation, disclosure, employment, freedom of expression, media, news, postal service, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

‘Excessive legal threats used to silence those who tried to expose the Post Office Horizon scandal and allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed should be outlawed, a cross-party group of MPs have said.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judgment in FT application for non-party access to documents – 5RB

Posted October 16th, 2024 in affidavits, chambers articles, company directors, documents, government departments, media, news, public interest by tracey

‘On 28 June 2024, ICC Judge Mullen, sitting in the Chancery Division, gave an ex tempore judgment, partially granting the Financial Times’ application for pre-hearing access to an affidavit which the Secretary of State had lodged in support of its directors disqualification claim against the financier Lex Greensill.’

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5RB, 10th October 2024

Source: www.5rb.com

Tribunal orders council to release pay rise documents in “public interest” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 26th, 2024 in BBC, freedom of information, local government, news, public interest, remuneration by sally

‘The First-tier Tribunal has ordered Cumberland Council to release documents relating to a decision to double councillors’ pay over an 11-month period, after it refused to provide information requested by the BBC.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Met Police ‘didn’t get everything right’ as report shows impact of protests on tourism and public services – The Independent

Posted September 9th, 2024 in climate change, Crown Prosecution Service, demonstrations, environmental protection, immigration, Israel, news, police, prosecutions, public interest, public order, violent disorder, war by tracey

‘The Metropolitan Police “didn’t get everything right” in policing recent large-scale protests, as a new report reveals the impact caused on tourism, retail and public service finances.’

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The Independent, 9th September 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Why did a judge name Southport stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana?

Posted August 2nd, 2024 in anonymity, children, judges, murder, news, public interest, public order, young offenders by michael

‘Under Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, minors facing criminal charges have an automatic right to anonymity in a youth court. Judges will also impose reporting restrictions for most cases heard in an adult court if the defendant is under 18.’

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The Independent, 1st August 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Imprisonment for Public Protection: No more kicking the can – Mountford Chambers

Posted July 29th, 2024 in chambers articles, dangerous offenders, imprisonment, news, parole, public interest, sentencing by sally

‘With an election taking place during the Euros, it is almost too tempting to describe the Labour Party as running towards an open goal. A new government is almost seen as inevitable, with the real question being the size of its majority. Yet it remains unclear whether this change will embolden much-needed reform to the criminal justice system. For any future Justice Secretary, addressing the plight of those serving sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) must be at the top of their to-do list.’

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Mountford Chambersm 1st July 2024

Source: www.mountfordchambers.com

Labour delays proposals to ban oppressive Slapps lawsuits – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2024 in bills, freedom of expression, news, political parties, public interest by sally

‘Labour has delayed proposals to tackle spurious lawsuits brought by oligarchs and others aimed at intimidating journalists, academics and campaigners.’

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The Guardian, 24th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trainee “bullied and unsupervised” in doing work of qualified lawyers – Legal Futures

Posted July 10th, 2024 in bullying, damages, employment tribunals, harassment, law firms, news, public interest, solicitors, unfair dismissal, whistleblowers by tracey

‘A trainee solicitor fired for raising concerns about her lack of supervision and the poor service clients were receiving from her firm has been awarded damages of £36,000.’

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Legal Futures, 10th July 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Harcombe / Kendrick preliminary trial judgment – 5RB

Posted July 10th, 2024 in chambers articles, defamation, media, news, public interest by tracey

‘Mr Justice Nicklin has handed down judgment on the preliminary issues that were tried between 3 and 11 July last year in Zoe Harcombe and Dr Malcolm Kendrick’s libel actions against the Mail on Sunday.’

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5RB, 25th June 2024

Source: www.5rb.com

Ex-solicitor struck off 24 years ago fails in bid to return to roll – Legal Futures

Posted July 2nd, 2024 in accounts, client accounts, disciplinary procedures, fraud, news, public interest, solicitors by tracey

‘A woman struck off as a solicitor 24 years ago has failed in her second attempt to be restored to the roll, with a tribunal saying the passage of time did not of itself justify it.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd July 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

More transparency? Or naming and shaming? The FCA’s proposed new approach to enforcement – Mountford Chambers

Posted June 17th, 2024 in chambers articles, compensation, disclosure, enforcement, financial services ombudsman, news, public interest by sally

‘Fatima Jama explores the FCA’s proposed new approach to enforcement and increasing the transparency of investigations.’

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Mountford Chambers, 2nd May 2024

Source: www.mountfordchambers.com

Wolverhampton guilty verdicts raise issue of naming child killers – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2024 in anonymity, children, media, murder, news, public interest, reporting restrictions, young offenders by tracey

‘Some believe naming convicted children acts as deterrent, while others say it could glorify horrific acts.’

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The Guardian, 15th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge allows reporting of case where DNA tests established that three abandoned babies were full sibliings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 7th, 2024 in anonymity, children, DNA, families, family courts, local government, news, public interest, reporting restrictions by sally

‘A newborn baby abandoned in Newham, East London, has been found – following DNA testing – to be the third child abandoned by the same parents.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th June 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk