Last 3 months headlines – Page 1570
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Government wields axe over court estate
The Ministry of Justice today outlined proposals to shut nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales and confirmed it will be looking at ways to make ‘efficiency’ savings in the legal aid budget. A consultation document details plans for the closure of 157 ...
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Three Lions on a skive - did you let your staff watch the football?
Apologies for trespassing on this space – not normally my domain. But I am curious. This afternoon saw the latest instalment of what we at the Gazette have dubbed ‘Carry On England’, a quadrennial tale of preening dilettantes and music-hall slapstick that always seems to end with John Bull weeping ...
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Chancery Lane warning over budget tax hike
The capital gains tax (CGT) increase announced in this week’s budget will mean trustees and personal representatives administering the estates of the deceased could feel the full brunt of the rise, the Law Society has warned, as gains made will be at risk of exposure to the new higher rate. ...
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New international hub to promote pro bono work
A new online service to promote pro bono legal work around the world and provide an international hub for information on anti-corruption and good governance was launched today by the Thomson Reuters Foundation TrustLaw provides: an online database of national legislation; international conventions; news; country profiles; ...
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Mental health and disability discrimination protection
A person has a ‘disability’ if he or she has a mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse impact on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities – section 1 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Alcohol and drug addiction as well as five ...
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Could Beethoven have been a lawyer?
As the euro and the idea of Europe go into freefall, as the UK’s debts mount and swingeing cuts take place, let us talk about something really important: why is it that so few great artists have been lawyers?
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Solicitors ‘should enter into partnership with estate agents’
The future for the conveyancing market in England and Wales lies in partnerships between solicitors and estate agents to provide a one-stop shop for sellers, the new president of the E-Homebuying Forum has told the Gazette. Sir Bryan Carsberg, who is also a former director of ...
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Can advertising boost the solicitor brand?
The Law Society has dipped its toes in the water in terms of attempting to advertise the solicitor brand for some years. But last year it really took the plunge, investing £211,000 in the Help I need somebody campaign. And this time round it has doubled that amount.
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Physician heal thyself
They say rules are meant to be broken, and that certainly seems to be the approach adopted by one red-faced government department this week. The Department for Communities and Local Government, which has responsibility among other things for legislation that compels landlords to carry out proper fire risk assessments, was ...
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Chancery Lane hails costs cap coup
Controversial rules to cap the costs recovered by acquitted defendants were struck down as ‘unlawful’ by the High Court in a victory for the Law Society this week. The regulations, which are now invalid, were introduced in October 2009 and sought to ensure that acquitted defendants ...
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In the frame
Perusing this intriguing image, Obiter is reminded of the old saying that dog owners often look like their pets. Is there something similar in the facial expression of these two? The pic of rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio was taken at a modern art exhibition organised ...
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Immigration
Change of circumstances – Entry clearances – Visas – Immigration Act 1971 Secretary of State for the Home Department v DB: CA (Civ Div) (Lords Justice Mummery, Thomas, Pitchford): 28 May 2010 ...
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Cracking time
A team of lawyers from CPS Bradford were glad not to be left with egg on their faces after challenging Britain’s brainiest quizzers on a BBC2 contest recently. They took part in Eggheads, which, for the uninitiated, is a teatime show in which teams pit their general knowledge skills against ...
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Intellectual property
Goodwill – Misrepresentation – Passing off – Vacuum cleaners Numatic International ltd v Qualtex UK Ltd: ChD (Patents Ct) (Mr Justice Floyd): 28 May 2010 The claimant company (N) ...
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Life's a beach
Has Baywatch returned to our screens once more? Not exactly. Although the plotline could be said to be equally implausible. Durham firm Swinburne Maddison entered two teams in the Castles Challenge Triathlon earlier this month: Team Old (Terry Lee, 45 [pictured, nearest runner], John Davison, 52, and Jonathan Moreland, 42) ...
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Ready for his closeup now...
It’s no secret that not all members of the Lords were desperately keen on upping sticks and moving to some new fangled Supreme Court. But former lord chief justice, Lord Phillips (pictured), was always in favour. He was conscious of the importance of a visible separation between the parliamentary chamber ...
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Court of Protection failing to meet targets, report reveals
The court that makes decisions on behalf of people lacking mental capacity has suffered ‘more than its fair share of setbacks’ and is still achieving only one of its six targets, over 30 months after its creation, a report revealed last week. The first report into ...
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Human rights key to fighting terrorism, Lord Phillips says
The Human Rights Act 1998 is ‘a vital part of the foundation of our fight against terrorism’, the president of the Supreme Court has declared in an outspoken defence of the act. Setting out a series of recent cases in which government anti-terrorism measures have ...
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Civil procedure
Health – Judicial review – Jurisdiction – Interested parties R (on the application of McVey & Ors) (claimant) v Secretary of State for Health (defendant) & (1) Jonathan Simms (2) Holly Mills (interested parties): QBD (Admin) (Mr Justice Silber): ...