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News in Brief

19 February 2009
Issue: 7357 / Categories: Legal News , Legal services , Profession
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Legal Services

EHRC gains UN accreditation

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is to receive United Nations (UN) accreditation as a national human rights institution. The commission can now participate fully in the human rights council of the UN and will be able to make both written and oral interventions at the human rights council. Nicola Brewer, CEO of the commission, said that the “UN accreditation is a historic step in the early life of the Commission, and reinforces our role as the leading body for the promotion of human rights in Britain”.

 

English common law

English common law is the most widespread legal system in the world with 30% of the world’s population living under its rule, according to new research by Professor Philip Wood, special global counsel at Allen& Overy, and  author of Maps of World Financial Law. The unique researchfocuses on the difference in fi nancial law between legal jurisdictions across the world. Some 27% of the world’s 320 legal jurisdictions use English common law, although these territories generate only 14% of global GDP.

 

Start date for LDPs

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will, subject to Parliamentary approval, regulate Legal Disciplinary Practices (LDPs) from 31 March 2009. The SRA had originally hope to regulate LDPs from 1 March, but the Ministry of Justice has said it wants extra time to make sure the relevant provisions will work well. LDPs are a new type of solicitors’ fi rm, which can include one or more lawyers who are not solicitors and up to a quarter of non-lawyers.

Issue: 7357 / Categories: Legal News , Legal services , Profession
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Carey Olsen—Kim Paiva

Carey Olsen—Kim Paiva

Group partner joins Guernsey banking and finance practice

Morgan Lewis—Kat Gibson

Morgan Lewis—Kat Gibson

London labour and employment team announces partner hire

Foot Anstey McKees—Chris Milligan & Michael Kelly

Foot Anstey McKees—Chris Milligan & Michael Kelly

Double partner appointment marks Belfast expansion

NEWS
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has not done enough to protect the future sustainability of the legal aid market, MPs have warned
Writing in NLJ this week, NLJ columnist Dominic Regan surveys a landscape marked by leapfrog appeals, costs skirmishes and notable retirements. With an appeal in Mazur due to be heard next month, Regan notes that uncertainties remain over who will intervene, and hopes for the involvement of the Lady Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls in deciding the all-important outcome
After the Southport murders and the misinformation that followed, contempt of court law has come under intense scrutiny. In this week's NLJ, Lawrence McNamara and Lauren Schaefer of the Law Commission unpack proposals aimed at restoring clarity without sacrificing fair trial rights
The latest Home Office figures confirm that stop and search remains both controversial and diminished. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort University analyses data showing historically low use of s 1 PACE powers, with drugs searches dominating what remains
Boris Johnson’s 2019 attempt to shut down Parliament remains a constitutional cautionary tale. The move, framed as a routine exercise of the royal prerogative, was in truth an extraordinary effort to sideline Parliament at the height of the Brexit crisis. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC dissects how prorogation was wrongly assumed to be beyond judicial scrutiny, only for the Supreme Court to intervene unanimously
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