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News, analysis, comment and updates from ICLR's case law and UK legislation platform
On 2 November 2017 the Ministry of Justice hosted an HMCTS Public Community Change Event to showcase some of the work being done in the course of its current £1bn overhaul of the court system. Paul Magrath was there. [Post updated 17/11/17.] The Ministry of Justice in St James is an imposing and somewhat dystopian… Continue reading
This week’s roundup is a bonfire of the vanities of Westminster and a fireworks display of legal news and commentary, including sexual harassment in the workplace, judicial recruitment and support, artificial intelligence in law, the Bar conference, cases reported via Twitter, and a riff upon a beermat. Parliament Billy Bunters and their Bully Banter A… Continue reading
A law report is a record of a judicial decision on a point of law which sets a precedent. Not all decisions taken in a court of law set a precedent, however interesting they may be in terms of the facts of the case or its consequences. A decision is only reportable if lays down… Continue reading
Guest post by Barbara Rich On 11 October 2017, this headline appeared on the BBC news website. The story naturally aroused a lot of interest and discussion. The traditional need for formality (two witnesses present at the same time to witness the signature of the person making the will) in creating a valid will is one of those… Continue reading
This week’s roundup of legal news and commentary includes courts and legal services, legal aid, immigration rules, prisoner votes and some news from foreign parts. But first a play of cards as we try to game the system with a joker in the pack. Gaming When is a card game not very sporting? A pair… Continue reading
Paul Magrath wonders how seriously we should take the prospect of judges and court staff engaging with the public on social media The traditional and until recently the official view was that, in order to maintain public respect for their office, judges should not engage in public discourse outside the courtroom. They could write legal articles… Continue reading
This week’s roundup of legal news and comment is less discursive than usual because we’re on the road, but it covers Brexit, legal services regulation, conference news and more. Brexit Still talking Prior to travelling to Brussels for last week’s European Council summit meeting, Theresa May sent an open letter to EU nationals living in… Continue reading
The 36th Annual Course of the International Association of Law Libraries in Atlanta, Georgia, USA will focus on “Civil Rights, Human Rights, and Other Critical Issues in U.S. Law”. Given both the location and recent events in the United States, it promises to be both interesting and highly topical. ICLR will be there. The conference… Continue reading
This week’s roundup of legal news and comment includes new courts, old cuts, fallout from Grenfell, a dark funeral, and help and support for the Bar and its babies. Courts New “flagship” court for City of London At a time when many courts are being closed down and rationalised, and while others struggle to cope with wonky… Continue reading
A debate has been raging on Twitter about dining in hall in the Inns of Court. It’s a tradition that goes back centuries, but in recent years the requirement to complete a certain number of dinners to qualify as a barrister has grown less and less significant. The question is, should they be abandoned altogether… Continue reading