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Law in 101 words

19 May 2011 / Roderick Ramage
Issue: 7466 / Categories: Blogs
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Snippets from The Reduced Law Dictionary, by Roderick Ramage

Defamation

Defamation is a form of tort. A defamatory statement is one which is made to a third party and disparages a person’s good name or the esteem in which he is held. If it is in writing it is a libel and damage is presumed, but if it is oral it is a slander, which is generally not actionable without proof of special damage. The main defences to a claim for defamation are justification (ie that the words are true), fair comment on a matter of public interest and absolute and qualified privilege. See also the Defamation Acts 1952 and 1996.

Durham fancy goods

In the good old days the Companies Act 1985, s 349 (1948, s 108) imposed personal liability on any person who signed a cheque, order for goods etc in which the company’s name is not properly stated. In Durham a bill of exchange in the name “M Jackson (Fancy Goods) Ltd” was accepted by Mr Jackson without correction. The name should

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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