News in Brief

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.