Blog

News, analysis, comment and updates from ICLR's case law and UK legislation platform

Never forget that lawyers aren’t paid to be liked

“Is nothing sacred these days?” said UpTights. “What are you moaning on about now?” said OldSmoothie. “Once upon a time institutions were respected but in the last few years it seems like it’s all gone to pot. First, we find out that a fair proportion of our politicians were on the make at the public’s Continue reading

The Cab Rank Rule: still driving the Bar?

What is the meaning and purpose of the so-called Cab Rank Rule in the context of the new legal services market? Is it a Holy Cow or Shibboleth, taken for granted but more honoured in the breach? Or is it still a driving principle, a philosophical touchstone that underpins the approach of advocates to their Continue reading

Going logo: all change at the IPO

Thanks to something called a “single government identity”, the IPO or Intellectual Property Office (the operating name of what used to be called The Patent Office) is this month replacing its existing logo with the Royal Coat of Arms. Continue reading

Cameras in court: an appealing prospect?

TV cameras will be allowed into the Court of Appeal for the first time from October 2013 and senior judges will be offered training before appearing on camera, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge told the Lords Constitution Committee on 30 January. The select committee takes evidence from the Lord Chief Justice (pictured above) each year Continue reading

Direct access to a barrister: Standards Board reviews training requirements

The Bar Standards Board, which regulates barristers in England and Wales, has announced that the training  barristers undergo for providing legal services directly to clients (i.e. without being instructed by a solicitor), is to be overhauled. Among the changes announced will be “an element of formal assessment to make sure that barristers have the knowledge Continue reading

Supreme Court judgments on YouTube

The Supreme Court is now giving judgments in the most open court imaginable: the court of public opinion, otherwise known as YouTube.  As of today, the Supreme Court is making available a collection of 25 video summaries of its judgments given last term, between October and December 2012, on its own dedicated YouTube channel, UKSupremeCourt. Continue reading

Wake up to ICLR Case Law Updates

Sign up for our FREE weekly update of all new cases published by ICLR. Get case names and citations listed by subject matter, with live links to the full reports on ICLR Online and to free case summaries on our website. If you don’t already subscribe to the full reports, you will be prompted to Continue reading

Fair Trial of Foul?

Anyone who has been following the news from India will be horrified by the appalling case of the female student who died after being gang-raped by five men on a bus in Delhi. The case has caused outrage both at home and abroad, not least because it does not appear to have been an isolated Continue reading

1953: A year to remember

This year marks the diamond jubilee of the Weekly Law Reports, which were launched in 1953 with a mission to provide a general series of full text law reports that would be “unsurpassed for completeness”. Continue reading

BabyBarista – Introducing LiggerLawyer

“Have you ever come across a young barrister who seemed to crash every drinks party in the whole of EC4 this Christmas season,” asked BusyBody today. “Ah, so you’ve met LiggerLawyer,” smiled TheVamp. “She’s like the worst kind of Z-list celebrity who would go along to the opening of a briefcase if she’d been invited Continue reading