Global firm must pay £118k over negligent advice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 8th, 2016 in contracts, costs, damages, documents, employment, law firms, negligence, news, standards by sally

‘A High Court judge has ordered global firm King & Wood Mallesons to pay damages over negligent advice it gave to a commodities business intelligence firm – although they were only 5% of the sum claimed.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th April 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Plans to change animal welfare codes abandoned by government – BBC News

Posted April 8th, 2016 in animal cruelty, animals, codes of practice, consultations, news, standards by sally

‘The government has abandoned a controversial plan to repeal animal welfare codes.’

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BBC News, 7th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Guidance on coasting schools – Education Law Blog

‘In all of the excitement about the proposals in the White Paper for all schools to become academies, there has been little discussion about the Guidance for local authorities and RSCs on Schools causing concern – Intervening in failing, underperforming and coasting schools. Alongside this guidance, the Government has published its response to the consultation exercise, which includes a useful summary of the amendments that the Government made to the Bill during its Parliamentary passage.’

Full story

Education Law Blog, 7th April 2016

Source: www.education11kbw.com

MPs break the rules ‘because they do not agree with them’, says standards watchdog Kathryn Hudson – Daily Telegraph

‘The comments will add further pressure on MPs to beef up the watchdog which polices their work, perhaps by giving members of the public a vote over decisions whether or not to reprimand errant MPs.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Advertising Standards Authority moves to ban junk food adverts from online children’s programmes – The Independent

‘Advertisements for junk food on online children’s programmes are set to be banned under new guidelines, it has been reported.’

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The Independent, 13th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New forensic science service planned – BBC News

‘A new forensic and biometrics service is planned by the Home Office, four years after it controversially abolished its predecessor.’

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BBC News, 12th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Commons sleaze watchdog in crisis as QC rubbishes legal arguments against reform – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 11th, 2016 in news, parliament, professional conduct, standards by sally

‘Sir Kevin Barron steps aside from chairmanship of Standards Committee, as Lord Lester describes attempts to stop lay members from being given a vote as “absurd.” ‘

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Daily Telegraph, 10th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

SRA: We want to be accountable to Parliament, not the Law Society – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has asked the House of Commons’ justice select committee to assume responsibility for holding it to account once independence from the Law Society has been achieved.’

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Legal Futures, 26th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Derren Brown’s Something Wicked show breaks Ofcom rules – BBC News

Posted February 22nd, 2016 in children, complaints, health & safety, media, news, ombudsmen, standards by sally

‘A programme in which illusionist Derren Brown suffocated himself as part of trick has broken broadcasting rules.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Bar regulator publishes responses to the Future Bar Training consultation – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 1st, 2016 in barristers, consultations, legal education, press releases, standards by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) published today the summary of initial responses it received to its consultation launched in the summer of 2015 on the academic, vocational and pupillage requirements to become qualified as a barrister.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 1st February 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Jail warning for backstreet school organisers – BBC News

Posted December 14th, 2015 in consultations, education, fines, Islam, news, prisons, school children, sentencing, standards by sally

‘Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says anyone found running an illegal backstreet school in England will face fines or a prison sentence.’

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BBC News, 13th December 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Good Faith Clauses in Development Agreements – Tanfield Chambers

Posted December 9th, 2015 in contracts, interpretation, news, sale of land, standards, statutory duty by sally

‘In recent years it has become increasingly common for parties to a development agreement to agree to act towards one another with “good faith”. The meaning and extent of the obligations on the contracting parties imposed by such clauses is often difficult to ascertain. The purpose of this paper is to consider a number of cases in which good faith clauses, implied and express, are discussed and identify the general principles that apply to development agreements.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 30th November 2015

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

New Bar chairman: the BSB is independent enough – Legal Futures

Posted December 9th, 2015 in barristers, fees, legal aid, legal services, news, public interest, standards by sally

‘The current arrangements for the regulation of barristers are “relatively cost-efficient” and there is no need to make the Bar Standards Board (BSB) fully independent, the incoming chairman of the Bar Council has said.’

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Legal Futures, 9th December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jailed Libor trader Tom Hayes denied fair trial, says lawyer – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2015 in appeals, banking, codes of practice, conspiracy, fines, fraud, juries, news, standards by sally

‘Th judge who sentenced a former trader to 14 years in jail for conspiracy to rig Libor blocked the defence from presenting key evidence about a banking industry that routinely flouted rules, the court of appeal has heard.’

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The Guardian, 1st December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK police forces urged to review handling of child grooming cases – The Guardian

‘Police forces in England and Wales have been urged to review their handling of child grooming cases after inspectors found serious failings in the case of Breck Bednar, a 14-year-old who was murdered in a “sexual and sadistic” attack by a teenager he met online.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Humber Prison report: Wolds and Everthorpe merger ‘traumatic’ – BBC News

Posted November 18th, 2015 in assault, delay, health & safety, news, prison officers, prisons, reports, standards by sally

‘The merger of two prisons in East Yorkshire has been “traumatic and prolonged”, inspectors have found.’

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BBC News, 18th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gove admits the UK sentencing framework needs to be more sensitive, & 7 more things we learned at the 2015 Howard League AGM – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Since his appointment as Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor in May this year, the Rt Hon Michael Gove has maintained a fairly low profile. Aside from his Making Prisons Work speech in July, Mr Gove’s plans for the future of the Criminal Justice System have not been very clearly outlined. Although since his swearing in, to the delight of many, Gove has managed to overturn the previous Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling’s ban on books for prisoners; scrapped plans to create a super youth prison; and halted massively controversial plans for the UK to undertake Saudi Arabian prison training contracts.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th November 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Mid Staffs NHS trust admits ‘very significant’ breaches over patient deaths – The Guardian

‘The NHS trust that ran Stafford hospital has pleaded guilty to “very significant” health and safety breaches connected to the deaths of four elderly patients in its care.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watford landlord fined £30,000 for housing 12 tenants in five-person flat – The Guardian

‘A landlord who made almost £27,000 a year by cramming 12 tenants into a property meant for five – with some sleeping in storerooms – has been fined £30,000 after pleading guilty to overcrowding.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rise in mental health detentions shows ‘services are struggling’ – The Guardian

‘Mental health campaigners have expressed concern that detentions under the Mental Health Act have risen by almost 10% in England in the past year.’

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The Guardian, 23rd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk