‘Serious concerns’ about DWP’s use of AI to read correspondence from benefit claimants – The Guardian

‘White mail system handles “highly sensitive personal data” and people not told it is processing their information.’

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The Guardian, 27th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Representative actions for mis-use of private information: “very difficult to bring” Prismall v Google [2024] EWCA Civ 1516 – Henderson Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal has upheld the striking out a representative action for misuse of private information. The judgment confirms the correct approach to identifying whether all claimants have the necessary ‘same interest’ in order to pursue a representative action. It highlights the risk that stripping back a claim to its lowest common denominator so as to satisfy the ‘same interest’ requirement may result in the pared down claim having no real prospect of success. Indeed, the Court of Appeal concluded that “a representative class claim for misuse of private information is always going to be very difficult to bring”.’

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Henderson Chambers, 23rd December 2025

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Parks and interpretation – Wyldecrest Parks Management Ltd [2024] UKUT 355 (LC) – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted January 24th, 2025 in appeals, chambers articles, interpretation, news, tribunals by sally

‘It’s time to unwrap Rule 7(6) of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013 (‘the Tribunal Rules’): the Upper Tribunal (‘UT’) has held in Wyldecrest Parks Management Ltd [2024] UKUT 355 (LC) that the First-tier Tribunal (‘FTT’) is not entitled under Rule 7(6) to require one party to serve the Tribunal’s directions on another, but must do so itself.’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 11th December 2025

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

Administrative Law Principles in Context: Environmental Assessment Goes Up in Flames- Cambridge Law Journal

Posted January 24th, 2025 in climate change, environmental protection, local government, miners, news, planning by sally

‘A massive reduction in the combustion of fossil fuels will be required if the UK is to meet its target of “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050. At a global scale, reliance on fossil fuels will need to be greatly reduced if irreversible impacts on the environment are to be avoided. It is against this background that the Supreme Court has had to answer the following question: in circumstances where there is an obligation to consider the environmental effects of a development proposal for the extraction of fossil fuels, must the climate impacts of the eventual combustion of those fossil fuels be assessed?’

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Cambridge Law Journal, 7th January 2025

Source: www.cambridge.org

Frome residents win five-year battle for community-led housing project – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2025 in local government, news, planning by sally

‘Residents of a “renegade” Somerset market town have won their battle to create an innovative 5-hectare (12-acre) community-led development that includes homes, workspaces and a lido, after councillors agreed to sell a large brownfield site to the not-for-profit social enterprise behind the project.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Menzies v Oakwood: requirement for specific agreement to transform retention of client monies into the payment of solicitors’ bills – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted January 24th, 2025 in appeals, fees, news, solicitors, Supreme Court, time limits by sally

‘In Menzies v Oakwood Solicitors [2024] UKSC 34, the Supreme Court considered the meaning of payment for the purposes of section 70(4) of the Solicitors Act 1974 (SA 1974).’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 20th December 2024

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

MPs to examine work of county court amid concerns over capacity and resources – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 24th, 2025 in county courts, delay, inquiries, local government, news, select committees by sally

‘The Justice Committee has launched a new inquiry to examine the work of the County Court amid “persistent” concerns over capacity and resources.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana jailed for 52 years for murder of three girls – The Guardian

‘The Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been jailed for a minimum of 52 years for the “ferocious” and “sadistic” knife rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

HO v TL – Business Valuations, Trust Interests & Needs Plus Costs – Becket Chambers

‘In view of the name of this case HO v TL [2024] 2 FLR 175, and the fact that the family business was a hotel business, I really hope that it will become known as “The Hotel Case”. Anyway, it does deserve to become known, because it is another decision from Peel J of the type referred to by Edward Kenny in his article last month, i.e. a really useful authority that sets out fundamental points, and quite a lot of them in this case. What is more, the costs decision in this case is also reported HO v TL (Costs) [2024] 2 FLR 200 and fits into the same category.’

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Becket Chambers, 18th December 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Immigration Blog: A Guide to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Practice Direction 2024 – Garden Court Chambers

Posted January 24th, 2025 in appeals, asylum, chambers articles, immigration, news by sally

‘On 1 November 2024, the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (FTT IAC) ushered in a new era with the publication of its latest Practice Direction (PD). This comprehensive document replaces previous iterations and Practice Statement No. 1 of 2022, signifying a considerable shift in the landscape of immigration and asylum appeals.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 19th December 2024

Source: gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Woman jailed over crash that killed baby outside hospital in Haverfordwest – The Guardian

‘A woman has been jailed for four years for causing the death of an eight-month-old baby girl in a crash outside a hospital after losing control of her car while reaching for a handbag.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council prosecution sees abortion clinic protestor hit with £7,500 costs order – Local Government Lawyer

‘A protester has been ordered to pay more than £7,500 after failing to comply with a public space protection order (PSPO), which created a designated safe zone outside a reproductive health clinic in Ealing.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Prince Harry settles legal claim against Sun publisher – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in damages, interception, media, news, privacy, royal family by sally

‘The Duke of Sussex has settled his high court legal action at the eleventh hour against the publisher of the Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN).’

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Baroness Brenda Hale on a Long Career in the Law – Law Pod UK

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in diversity, equality, judges, Law Commission, legal profession, news, podcasts, privacy, women by sally

‘Lady Hale discusses with Rosalind English the development of the right to privacy, reflects in her career in academia and the Law Commission, and ponders on the position of women in the legal profession today.’

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Law Pod UK, 20th January 2025

Source: audioboom.com

Dane Luo: R (Jwanczuk) v Work and Pensions Secretary: Bringing a Comparative Lens to Judicial Precedent on Inter-jurisdictional Laws – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The Supreme Court will hear the appeal in R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (UKSC/2023/0152) on 11 and 12 March 2025. One of the issues is the circumstances in which courts in England and Wales may depart from decisions of appellate courts in Northern Ireland and Scotland regarding laws of inter-jurisdictional operation (that is, laws passed by the Westminster Parliament that apply throughout the UK, or where identical or materially similar laws have been enacted in multiple jurisdictions). On one hand, the classical exposition of stare decisis is that it operates vertically, such that decisions by extra-hierarchical courts are never binding. But if stare decisis is concerned with predictability and enabling the public to legitimately rely on past decisions in carrying out their affairs, those aspirations would not be met if the same provisions were given two different meanings depending on whether one is north or south of the Tweed (or if one is to the east or west of the Irish Sea in Great Britain or Northern Ireland).’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 22nd January 2025

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Parks and interpretation – Wyldecrest Parks Management Ltd [2024] UKUT 355 (LC) – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in appeals, chambers articles, news, tribunals by sally

‘It’s time to unwrap Rule 7(6) of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013 (‘the Tribunal Rules’): the Upper Tribunal (‘UT’) has held in Wyldecrest Parks Management Ltd [2024] UKUT 355 (LC) that the First-tier Tribunal (‘FTT’) is not entitled under Rule 7(6) to require one party to serve the Tribunal’s directions on another, but must do so itself.’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 11th December 2024

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

Thatchers triumph in Court of Appeal copycat battle – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in appeals, competition, intellectual property, news, trade marks by sally

‘A recent court of Court of Appeal decision is “game changing” for brand owners and signals a renewed commitment by the UK courts to protecting brand identity and ensuring fair competition, experts have said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 21st January 2025

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Assisted dying bill amendment aims to close potential ‘anorexia loophole’ – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, health, mental health, news, parliament, select committees, suicide by sally

‘MPs will look to close a potential anorexia loophole in the assisted dying bill that psychiatrists fear could result in people with severe eating disorders using it to end their lives. The Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, who sits on the committee of MPs that will scrutinise the proposed law, is tabling an amendment to tighten the language around mental capacity.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs meet to scrutinise assisted dying bill for first time – The Independent

Posted January 22nd, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, health, mental health, news, parliament, select committees, suicide by sally

‘The crucial committee which will scrutinise the assisted dying bill was told to be “civil and courteous” as members met for the first time ahead of expert evidence hearings at the end of January. The 23-member committee has a majority of MPs who are supportive of assisted dying, including two government ministers Stephen Kinnock and Sarah Sackman. The MPs, who will test the proposed legislation line by line, met on Tuesday to set out the timetable for the inquiry process.’

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The Independent, 21st January 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Southport attack: why is so much information being published only now? – The Guardian

‘Axel Rudakubana, 18, on Monday pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls – Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine – and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer. He also admitted producing the biological toxin ricin, and possessing a terrorist handbook about al-Qaida. The guilty pleas have triggered a deluge of new information about the teenage attacker and how he had been known to the authorities before the atrocity on 29 July last year. It has also prompted searching questions about how the state failed to stop the attack – and whether there has been a cover-up. Here we answer some of the key questions about the Southport attack.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com