Last 3 months headlines – Page 1339
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Joint enterprise law ‘unacceptable’, says justice committee
MPs have called for ‘immediate steps’ to reform the ‘complex’ and ‘confusing’ law on joint enterprise. The cross party Justice Committee says the doctrine is being applied ‘inconsistently’ and that legislation is needed to ensure justice for victims and defendants and to cut the high number ...
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Health and safety guru warns of political misuse
The architect of the government’s health and safety strategy has raised concerns that his report could be ‘misused’ for political purposes.
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Lib Dem votes on legal aid
The House of Lords is now debating amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill in the shadow of a government defeat on key proposals for welfare reform. While we are right to focus a lot of attention on the strength and ...
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Society intervenes in landmark PII case
The Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority have been granted leave to intervene in a case that could have a major impact on professional indemnity insurance for law firms.
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ECHR backs whole-life sentences and cites article 6 on deportation
Three of Britain's most notorious murderers can be kept behind bars for the rest of their lives, judges at the European Court of Human Rights ruled yesterday. However, the court on the same day ruled that radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada cannot be returned to Jordan, ...
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Chancery Lane warns against move to limit jury trial
The Law Society president has defended the right to jury trial following reports that the government is considering removing some offences from the jurisdiction of the Crown court. Proposals to make low value theft offences triable only in the magistrates’ court are understood to be among ...
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Family reform judge calls for culture change
A ‘strong consensus’ and a ‘commitment to a change in culture’ is needed to improve the efficiency of the family justice system, according to the senior judge charged with reform. In his first published update since being appointed to lead the modernisation of family justice, Mr Justice Ryder sets out ...
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Prosecutors to have power to challenge Crown court bail
The justice minister has announced plans to change the law to allow prosecutors to challenge decisions made by judges in the Crown court to release defendants on bail. Crispin Blunt said the move will allow decisions to be reviewed in the High Court where prosecutors believe ...
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Crossley suspended for copyright infringement conduct
Solicitor Andrew Crossley was yesterday suspended from practising for two years and ordered to pay over £76,000 in costs in a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearing arising from threats of court action against people accused of infringing copyright. The founder and sole principal at London ...
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Pension reforms
From October 2012 all employers will be obligated to provide employees with a workplace pension - part of the government’s drive to ensure more people are prepared financially for their retirement. Much has been written about the pension reforms from an employment/business perspective, but far less has been said about ...
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No surrender on LASPO, says McNally
Peers from all parties were this week united in their opposition to the government’s planned legal aid reforms, but justice minister Lord McNally told the House of Lords he is ‘not waving a white handkerchief’ or making concessions. During the third day debating the Legal Aid, ...
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Former equity partner brings claim to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has begun hearing an age discrimination case brought by a former equity partner who claims his law firm acted unlawfully in making him retire aged 65. The hearing is expected to last three days from today and the ruling could have wide-ranging implications ...
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Money and clients in 2012
There has been a bit in the press recently about the rush of clients we get the first day back at work after Christmas. It is a busy time for family lawyers as sadly there are many people wanting advice about divorce. I do not think it just that people ...
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At last a money laundering challenge in Strasbourg
For a long time now, lawyers - or at any rate those concerned by the consequences of the reporting duties imposed on lawyers by the European money laundering legislation - have been waiting for a case to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on the subject ...
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SRA announces help with late registrations
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced further help for solicitors who missed last week’s target date for activating their mySRA account. The SRA said that 118,000 had successfully registered by that date. It is urging anyone needing a new activation code to visit the relevant ...
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Lib Dem peer holds out hope for LASPO retreat
A Liberal Democrat peer has indicated there could be ‘major changes’ to the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill during its passage through the House of Lords. Lord Phillips of Sudbury, a former solicitor, said the majority of cross bench and Labour peers, along ...
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Whiplash is a pain in the neck to write about
To borrow from Donald Rumsfeld, there are known knowns and there are things we know we know, but we also know there are unknown knowns. No sooner had the Commons transport committee waded into this minefield earlier this week than my inbox was flooded with responses.
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£185m rescue for NHS litigation fund
The Department of Health has confirmed that a £185m emergency bailout fund has been found for the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA). Clinical negligence claims against the NHS reached an estimated value of £1bn last year, after rising from from £5,697m to £8,655m over the preceding five years. ...