Blog

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

What is a Law Report?

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

Case comment: Re Nichol – an unsent text message as a valid will

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

Weekly Notes: Legal news from ICLR – 30 October 2017

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

Judges on Twitter: lowering the bar or shattering the mystique?

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

Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR — 23 October 2017

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

Conference news: IALL Annual Course 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia

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

Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR — 16 October 2017

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

Ways into law: Dining in hall — tradition or torment?

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

Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR – 9 October 2017

As the party conference season draws to a close, our weekly roundup of legal news and comment considers various aspects of Brexit, some scrutiny of the Court of Protection, sentence inflation in the criminal courts and a battle royal between Crown Court bibles.  Politics Conference follies Brexit and the Tories have made a mess of Continue reading

ICLR Pupillage Award 2017 winner: Ben Haseldine

  Congratulations to Ben Haseldine, seen here on the left, receiving this year’s ICLR Pupillage Award from the Chair of our Council, Richard Fleck, on the right. The presentation took place at a small reception held at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London. Ben is starting pupillage at 4 King’s Bench Walk, in the chambers of Continue reading