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News, analysis, comment and updates from ICLR's case law and UK legislation platform
The English Legal system, 14th ed (2013-2014), by Gary Slapper and David Kelly (Routledge, £32.99). As the authors point out in their introduction, the English legal system has evolved over a period of more than a thousand years, and continues to evolve daily. It needs a textbook of sufficient heft and vigour to keep up with… Continue reading
The following message is shared from website of the International Bar Association, the global voice of the legal profession, with which ICLR, as a regular exhibitor at the IBA annual conference, is glad to be associated. IBA mourns and celebrates Nelson Mandela, Founding Honorary President of its Human Rights Institute The International Bar Association (IBA) joins the… Continue reading
It’s just not fair. Not fair at all. One minute, the policy is that it’d be wrong to have cameras in our courts and the next it appears to have changed but only for the likes of the Court of Appeal. I can’t believe that I spent years appearing in the Court of Appeal and… Continue reading
In the last month two senior judges have given speeches concerning the relationship between the law and morality, reigniting the glowing embers of a debate which has flared up repeatedly over the last two centuries. Although they were not in any sense putting forth opposing views, in so far as they agreed it was on… Continue reading
“All we are is glorified car mechanics,” said UpTights at Chambers tea today. “Just fixing minor errors caused by solicitors.” “Except not so glorified,” said TheBusker. “Yes, I doubt there’d be many mechanics who’d be pleased with the comparison,” said HeadofChambers. “What’s the problem?” asked OldSmoothie. “Not had any trials of late?” “I should be… Continue reading
National Pro Bono Week and the Bar Conference 2013 At a time when public funding is being cut to the bone, the Bar is already going further and working pro bono. But is it right for the government – with all David Cameron’s talk of the Big Society stepping in where public spending fears to… Continue reading
Within only a few weeks of starting his pupillage, one of the pupils has already garnered quite a reputation as a show-off. Not a show-off in a theatrical, maybe kind of charming but just a bit too much energy sort of a way either. More of a show-off in an insecure, in your face and… Continue reading
The promise of open justice is not fulfilled where viewers have no idea and no explanation of what is going on. Yesterday, following a change in the law, proceedings in the Court of Appeal were broadcast live on television for the first time in this country. This new development was designed to make English justice… Continue reading
Over the summer, following a period of sometimes stormy consultation with interested parties, the Bar Standards Board published the first edition of its QASA Handbook. In a series of earlier posts, this blog has examined the background, aims and components of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates. See: Questions about QASA QASA in practice: doing… Continue reading
While the ICLR team was in Boston for the annual conference of the International Bar Association, two of us took the opportunity to meet up with the Chief Reporter of Decisions at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Brian H Redmond heads up a team of reporters and editors who are employed by the court, which… Continue reading
