All articles by Jonathan Goldsmith – Page 36
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How far should the UK promote national interests?
Keen followers of European affairs might have noticed that, though the UK’s influence over the EU might have been slipping during the play-out of the eurozone crisis, its influence has increased - for six months at least - over that other European body, the Council of Europe. That is because, ...
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Troika forces ABSs on Italy
Just as with the Second World War, so the current economic crisis - which Chancellor Merkel says is Europe’s most challenging period since the war - had its phoney period, which has now ended. For a long while, nothing seemed to happen, and no consequences were felt. But, from a ...
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A burning building without any exits
It is difficult to concentrate on anything in Brussels at the moment other than you-know-what. The buzz of the eurozone crisis blocks out other topics.
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The IBA in Dubai: an unexpected outcome
I was in Dubai last week for the International Bar Association annual conference, where the main topic of conversation was the action of the country’s government in cancelling the conference. The event went ahead after all, following compromises. The resulting discussions could not have been more relevant to the role ...
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Lawyer independence is a strong foundation
Lawyer independence - both of the individual lawyer as practitioner, and the regulation of lawyers collectively - has never been consigned to the wings in all the time I have been qualified. But now it has grabbed the microphone to sing. Regrettably, it is a shaky version of that old ...
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In a froth over prisoners’ voting rights
I have been following the debate about prisoners’ voting rights in the UK with growing incredulity.
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European Day of Justice - are you ready to party?
I suspect that you’ve been waiting all year for the anniversary which comes around on 25th October: the European Day of Justice. You are planning to dress up in lawyers’ robes, and dance in the streets.
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European contract law - the film
Hollywood agents regularly comb Brussels for their future stars. This week, we had President Barroso featuring as King Kong, beating his chest and roaring, hoping to terrify the financial markets into having faith in the euro.
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Two steps forward, one step back
Let us have a party about two pieces of good news. There is not a lot of that around at present, for the legal profession or anyone else. And then we will give a loud boo to the bad news.
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The Court of Justice is changing its Rules of Procedure
The European Court of Justice wants to change its Rules of Procedure. The amendments are at an advanced stage, and are currently being discussed with the Council of the European Union. The CCBE has welcomed most of the changes, but has pointed out some serious reservations relating to access to ...
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Lawyers must take the lead in reshaping our values
I like to think that, if you examine a section of society, you can deduce problems and solutions which apply more widely. So, in this year of impending financial collapse and of governments which are paralysed or uncertain, I shall look at current developments relating to lawyers across Europe, and ...
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Right to a lawyer: UK’s wrecking proposal
The debate on the European Unions’s proposed directive on the right to a lawyer at all stages of criminal proceedings is hotting up. The Gazette covered the recent parliamentary motion tabled by the government where the justice secretary recommended that the UK opt out of the draft directive. The motion ...
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EU-wide training: the impossible dream
What would you do if you had to draw up a plan for training 1.4 million legal personnel in European Union law in 27 member states? You would either run for the exit, or make a hopeful start somewhere.
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Third-party funding of litigation - views from the US and Australia
The recondite topic of third-party funding of litigation has been in the news over the summer. The Gazette reported last month that the Civil Justice Council is on the verge of agreeing a code of conduct for third-party funders, and that an association for funders will be set up.
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Cloud computing: an ethical challenge for lawyers
The European Commission is consulting widely on cloud computing. In brief, for newcomers to the topic, cloud computing is the storage of data on servers outside your personal ownership. There are mega-providers out there who will store your data for a fee which is cheaper ...
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Lawyers in the summer’s high-profile stories
Where did the silly season go? Nobody can complain that this summer has been dull news-wise - if anything, it has been too exciting. In Germany, they had the story of Yvonne, the missing cow, as if the front pages needed filling. But here one earth-shattering development has succeeded another ...
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Lawyers in the summer’s high-profile stories
Where did the silly season go? Nobody can complain that this summer has been dull news-wise - if anything, it has been too exciting. In Germany, they had the story of Yvonne, the missing cow, as if the front pages needed filling. But here one earth-shattering development has succeeded another ...
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No let up in anti-money laundering developments
The summer months have seen a quickening of pace in news relating to lawyer involvement in anti-money laundering procedures. Although there have been times in the past when the work of our CCBE anti-money laundering committee has lessened, its agenda is now overflowing.
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News from ABA’s annual meeting in Toronto
I attended the American Bar Association’s annual meeting in Toronto last week. The global economy looked as if it was about to crash, but it was too late to incorporate that into the programme. The organisers did manage to include the previous US crisis into the opening ceremony, since the ...
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Developments on the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights
This story does not have Rebekah Brooks in it, nor details of high-wire acts to save the dollar and the euro. There are no wars or celebrities in sight. In other words, it is perfect summer reading.