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29 April 2022 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 7976 / Categories: Features , Constitutional law , Human rights
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A British Bill of Rights: going nowhere?

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Is Dominic Raab’s project doomed? Michael Zander reports on criticism from across the legal spectrum
  • With the next steps on the government’s proposals for reform of the Human Rights Act 1998 cautiously awaited, key figures including retired Lord Justice Sir Peter Gross, former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland, and the Law Society have already made their criticisms known.

The government’s consultation on the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998) closed on 8 March 2022. We are in the waiting stage while Dominic Raab, the justice secretary, decides which, if any, of his proposals in the consultation document to put forward in legislation.

The consultation document was published on 14 December 2021, together with the report of the Independent Human Rights Act Review (IHRAR) chaired by retired Lord Justice, Sir Peter Gross (see ‘The assault on liberty updated’, NLJ, 7 & 14 January 2022, p7).

On 30 March, Sir Peter Gross spoke at University College London (UCL) about the independent review (available to watch here).

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Weightmans—Elborne Mitchell & Myton Law

Weightmans—Elborne Mitchell & Myton Law

Firm expands in London and Leeds with dual merger

Boodle Hatfield—Clare Pooley & Michael Duffy

Boodle Hatfield—Clare Pooley & Michael Duffy

Private wealth and real estate firmpromotes two to partner and five to senior associate

Constantine Law—James Baker & Julie Goodway

Constantine Law—James Baker & Julie Goodway

Agile firm expands employment team with two partner hires

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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