Just Stop Oil protesters jailed after M25 blocked – BBC News

‘Five environmental activists who organised protests that brought part of the M25 to a standstill over four days have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 18th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hancock and Hunt failed to prepare UK for pandemic, Covid inquiry finds – The Guardian

Posted July 18th, 2024 in bereavement, coronavirus, government departments, health, inquiries, news by michael

‘The former health secretaries Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock have been criticised for their failure to better prepare the UK for the pandemic, in a damning first report from the Covid inquiry that calls for an overhaul in how the government prepares for civil emergencies.’

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The Guardian, 18th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Kate Ollerenshaw: Smarter Regulation: A Proliferation of Principles – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 17th, 2024 in brexit, constitutional law, legislation, news, statute law revision by tracey

‘Shortly before the July 2024 general election was called, the Conservative Government published a White Paper on its approach to regulatory reform. Intended to ensure the UK’s regulatory landscape delivered “a world-class service”, Smarter Regulation: Delivering a Regulatory Environment for Innovation, Investment and Growth included a number of proposals to streamline regulation, including a one-stop shop and portal to access regulations, an enhanced role for the Regulatory Policy Committee in scrutinising options and impact assessments for legislation, and a framework to measure progress by regulators caught by the Growth Duty established under s. 108 of the Deregulation Act 2015 and now subject to new statutory guidance issued a few days after the White Paper was published.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th July 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

The BSB publishes its 2024 statistics report on Bar course enrolment, results, and student progression by course provider – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 17th, 2024 in barristers, legal education, news, statistics by tracey

‘This annual report covers the period from July 2023 to June 2024 and contains statistics on enrolment, results and trends in vocational training to become a barrister, and student progression onto pupillage in England and Wales.’

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Bar Standards Board, 16th July 2024

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

In depth: How law firms can save stressed staff from themselves – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 17th, 2024 in electronic mail, employment, law firms, mental health, news, solicitors by tracey

‘As LawCare highlights cases of burnout involving lawyers being available 24/7 and checking emails outside work, some firms have hired external resource managers to save staff from themselves.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th July 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Killer to give parole hearing evidence in private – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2024 in bereavement, closed material, families, murder, news, parole by tracey

‘A killer who stabbed a woman 60 times during sex will give evidence at his parole hearing in private, even though an application had been granted for it to be held in public.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Four jailed over ecstasy lab at seafront flat – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2024 in drug offences, drug trafficking, imprisonment, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Four men have been jailed for more than 20 years for making and selling ecstasy tablets from a seafront holiday let.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

PCSO had ‘improper relationship’ with woman – BBC News

‘A former police officer who had an inappropriate relationship with a vulnerable woman committed gross misconduct, a police panel has ruled.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman who lied to get nursing job guilty of fraud – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2024 in fraud, hospitals, news, nurses by tracey

‘A woman accused of lying about her experience and qualifications to get a job as a senior nurse in a unit for sick and premature babies has been found guilty of fraud.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Report hits out at ‘glacial’ progress in plan to stamp out police racism – The Independent

Posted July 17th, 2024 in news, police, racism, reports by tracey

‘A damning report has hit out at “glacial” progress in police chiefs’ flagship plan to stamp out racism in Britain’s forces.’

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The Independent, 16th July 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UN concern over disciplinary case against UK lawyer for ‘boys’ club’ remarks – The Guardian

‘Four UN special rapporteurs have warned that disciplinary proceedings against a female barrister for saying a judge had shown a “boys’ club attitude” may send “a disconcerting message” to lawyers challenging gender bias in custody and domestic abuse cases.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Children missing from Home Office hotels likely to have been trafficked, report finds – The Guardian

‘Scores of asylum-seeking children are still missing from the UK’s Home Office hotels as a new report reveals that many are likely to have been trafficked.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

The meaning of maintenance – Nearly Legal

Posted July 16th, 2024 in appeals, housing, leases, local government, news, repairs, service charges by tracey

‘London Borough of Tower Hamlets v Lessees of Brewster House and Malting House (2024) UKUT 193 (LC) (11 July 2024). This was an appeal to the Upper Tribunal on whether a service charge for major works to remedy structural defects to two blocks of flats was payable. It may well have broader significance for charges for building safety works, depending on lease terms.’

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Nearly Legal, 15th July 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Update on limitation periods – Local Government Lawyer

‘A recent Court of Appeal ruling is a reminder of the applicable limitation periods for those procurements commenced under the current regime, write John Houlden, Laura Tudor and Abigail Cropper.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Interim relief in age assessment cases – revisited – Local Government Lawyer

‘Joshua Swirsky discusses a case where Upper Tribunal Judge Smith once again had to consider the balance of convenience in an age assessment case when interim relief is sought.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Local authorities, care orders and consent to confinement – Local Government Lawyer

‘Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) analyses another striking decision from Lieven J.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Private hire operators outside London and their customers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 16th, 2024 in appeals, contracts, local government, London, news, taxis by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal over whether a private hire operator outside London is required by legislation to enter into a contract as principal with a person who makes a booking for their vehicle. Gerald Gouriet KC and Michael Feeney examine the ruling and its wider impact.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law Commission publishes scoping paper on Decentralised Autonomous Organisations – Law Commission

Posted July 15th, 2024 in company law, computer programs, Law Commission, news by tracey

‘Today, the Law Commission has published a scoping paper looking into how Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) can be characterised and how the law of England and Wales might accommodate them now and in the future. The paper seeks to identify current issues around DAOs to inform any future law reform or innovations.’

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Law Commission, 11th July 2024

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

People smuggler gets nearly a year extra time in jail for failing to payback over £65,000 of criminal profits in the Essex lorry deaths case – Crown Prosecution Service

‘Today (11 July 2024) at Margate Magistrates’ Court, Gheorghe Nica, 46, was ordered to serve a further eleven and half months imprisonment after failing to payback £65,157.65 which he was ordered to pay in a proceeds of crime confiscation hearing. All of the Confiscation Order monies recovered from Nica, which a Judge has determined is his available assets, will be paid by way of compensation to the families of the 39 victims.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 11th July 2024

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Notionally Flawed? Notional Assessments in LSPO Applications – Financial Remedies Journal

‘The past weeks have brought two more High Court judgments considering the practice of deducting a percentage from an LSPO applicant’s costs provision by way of a “notional standard assessment”. The first, JK v LM [2024] EWHC 1442 (Fam), was a judgment of Cobb J doubling down on the practice. The second, KV v KV [2024] EWFC 165, was a judgment of Peel J, taking a more ambivalent approach, suggesting it be used as a “cross check” and highlighting that it may operate unfairly in some cases. Cobb J’s elevation to the Court of Appeal may see his approach becoming dominant. The unfairness caused by the “notional assessments” in LSPO applications has been explored by us previously. Here we argue that it is also conceptually flawed.’

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Financial Remedies Journal, 11th July 2024

Source: financialremediesjournal.com