High Court approves merger of schemes in winding-up – Pensions Barrister

Posted February 5th, 2025 in mergers, news, pensions, winding up by sally

‘In Arcadia Group Pension Trust Ltd v Smith [2025] EWHC 11 (Ch), Master Marsh (sitting in retirement) has approved the merger of the Staff and Executive Schemes of Arcadia Group, both of which were in winding-up after the principal employer went into administration and then into liquidation. The need to seek the Court’s approval arose because of the proposed exercise of the amendment power of the Staff Scheme during the winding-up. The Master was satisfied that the amendment power was wide enough to enable it to be exercised. The power expressly provided that it continued until the scheme had been wound up and that it could be exercised by the trustee without the need for principal employer consent where the employer was in liquidation. There was accordingly no scope to imply any fetter on the use of its operation in the circumstances of the case. The Master was also satisfied that the merger was a proper exercise of the power, even though adding members of the Executive Scheme to the Staff Scheme would enable the members of the former scheme to benefit from the surplus in the latter scheme.’

Full Story

Pensions Barrister, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

‘Watershed moment’ as three-year time limit on child rape claims scrapped in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in child abuse, children, limitations, news, rape by sally

‘Hundreds of child rape survivors, including those targeted by grooming gangs, are expected to pursue their abusers in the courts after ministers scrapped a three-year time limit on compensation claims.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Autonomy and assisted dying / suicide – an important judicial light shed from an unexpected corner – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted February 5th, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, consent, electronic commerce, gambling, news by sally

‘Individual decision-making and its complexities was very much in the spotlight this week in the context of the oral evidence sessions held by the Public Bill Committee considering the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The decision of Collins Rice in ‘RTM’ v Bonne Terre Ltd [2025] EWHC 111 (KB), handed down on 23 January 2025, is an important reminder of just how complex the idea of autonomy is in real life.’

Full Story

Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 2nd February 2025

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Judicial review set to begin over new bridge – BBC News

Posted February 4th, 2025 in environmental protection, judicial review, news, parks, planning, universities by tracey

‘A row over plans for a new bridge over the Thames is due to go to judicial review later.’

Full Story

BBC News, 4th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drugs gang jailed after machete attack on rivals – BBC News

Posted February 4th, 2025 in affray, attempted murder, gangs, news, offensive weapons, sentencing, wounding by tracey

‘Four men have been jailed after they attacked a rival drugs gang with swords, machetes and knives, before pushing them out of a first floor window and continuing the attack on the ground.’

Full Story

BBC News, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of Asda workers win latest stage in decade-long equal pay case – The Guardian

Posted February 4th, 2025 in class actions, employment tribunals, equal pay, news, women by tracey

‘Thousands of Asda workers have won the latest stage in a decade-long equal pay case against the supermarket that could lead to a payout worth £1.2bn.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

What is the new challenge to the evidence used to convict Lucy Letby? – The Guardian

‘Letby’s legal team is preparing to submit a case to the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK online pharmacies face stricter rules for sales of weight-loss jabs – The Guardian

Posted February 4th, 2025 in consumer protection, electronic commerce, medicines, news, obesity, pharmacists by tracey

‘Access to weight-loss jabs through online pharmacies is to be tightened up as part of a crackdown on inappropriate prescriptions – although some experts say even more must be done.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lucy Letby latest: Experts to reveal ‘significant new medical evidence’ questioning child killer’s guilt – The Independent

‘An international panel of experts in the care of newborn babies will present what they say is “significant new medical evidence” in the case of convicted child serial killer Lucy Letby.’

Full Story

The Independent, 4th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Dangerous fool’ Daniel Khalife jailed for 14 years for prison escape and spying for Iran – The Independent

‘Former soldier Daniel Khalife has been branded a “dangerous fool” by a judge imprisoning him for more than 14 years for escaping from prison and spying for Iran.’

Full Story

The Independent, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Director and law firm fined £50,000 for multiple compliance failures – Legal Futures

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in accounts, company directors, fines, law firms, money laundering, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The director of a law firm and the firm itself have each been fined £25,000 for a series of compliance failures, including widespread accounts rule breaches and anti-money laundering (AML) shortcomings.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CPS updates deaths in custody legal guidance – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in Crown Prosecution Service, death in custody, news, police, prosecutions by tracey

‘Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “Criminal prosecutions brought against police officers for actions taken in the course of their duties are extremely rare and these decisions are only made after careful consideration of all the relevant evidence and circumstances.’

Full Story

Crown Prosecution Service, 31st January 2025

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Lady Chief Justice lecture: Mediation after the Singapore Convention – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in dispute resolution, international courts, lectures, news, rule of law, treaties by tracey

‘The Lady Chief Justice gave a lecture on 28 January 2025 to the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. In the lecture, entitled Mediation after the Singapore Convention, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill explored how mediation is likely to play an important role in promoting the rule of law domestically and internationally, as is happening with the promotion and development of international commercial courts.’

Full Story

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 29th January 2025

Source: www.judiciary.uk

BSB publishes its Annual Diversity at the Bar Report – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in barristers, diversity, news, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its annual summary of the latest available diversity data for the Bar. It covers pupils, practising King’s Counsel – KC – and practising non-KC barristers. Last year’s report is available on the BSB website.This report assists the BSB in meeting its statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010 and sets out an evidence base from which relevant and targeted policy can be developed.’

Full Story

Bar Standards Board, 31st January 2025

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Neurodiversity in the Family Justice System – Family Justice Council

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in autism, family courts, legal profession, legal representation, news by tracey

‘The Family Justice Council (FJC) has published Guidance on Neurodiversity in the Family Justice System for practitioners (PDF). The guidance is aimed at legal practitioners working with neurodivergent users of the Family Justice System.’

Full guidance

Full Story

Family Justice Council, 30th January 2025

Source: www.judiciary.uk

High Court orders compulsory mediation despite defendant objections – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in civil procedure rules, dispute resolution, news, sport, trade marks by tracey

‘The High Court ordered parties to mediate despite defendant arguments that there was no real chance of success, in a newly published ruling thought to be the first time the court has used its new powers under the amended Civil Procedure Rules.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

ST v AR [2025] EWFC 4 – Financial Remedies Journal

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in divorce, financial provision, matrimonial home, news, valuation by tracey

‘The Husband is 70. The Wife is 51. They have a 9-year-old daughter. They cohabited from February 2003 and in early 2012 separated due to the wife’s affair. In August 2012 – c.9 months later – they reunited. They married on 8 October 2012. In November 2020 the parties relocated to England from abroad. They came as non-doms to take advantage of the tax regime. The wife applied for divorce in May 2023. They therefore had nearly 20 years together, albeit not seamless cohabitation.’

Full Story

Financial Remedies Journal, 29th January 2025

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

Case of last wrongly convicted Stockwell Six member referred to court of appeal – The Guardian

‘The last convicted member of the Stockwell Six, a group of young black men falsely accused of trying to rob a corrupt police officer more than half a century ago, has had his case referred back to the court of appeal.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 31st January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Experts in mediation – a case study – Kingsley Napley Family Law Blog

Posted January 30th, 2025 in dispute resolution, divorce, expert witnesses, financial advice, news, pensions by sally

‘When dealing with the arrangements following separation, sometimes individuals need more than just the advice of a solicitor. Experts are frequently brought in to advise on specialist areas, such as taxation and pensions. The court process is adversarial in nature, and as such can easily become a breeding ground for polarised views and distrust. Expert opinions relied on by one party can be viewed with suspicion by the other, leading to lengthy (and costly) questions about, or submissions in respect of, those opinions. Each person may feel it necessary to seek their own expert advice in the background…double the experts usually means double the costs, reducing the total resources left to be shared.’

Full Story

Kingsley Napley Family Law Blog, 29th January 2025

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Teen jailed for life for mobile phone park murder – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2025 in murder, news, robbery, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager has been given a life sentence for murdering a 17-year-old boy in a mobile phone robbery.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk