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NLJ this week: Climate refugees in search of legal protection

26 November 2021
Issue: 7958 / Categories: Legal News , Immigration & asylum , Climate change litigation
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Is the law in place and ready to protect people who are forcibly displaced by environmental disaster? Sharmista Michaels, barrister at 5 St Andrews Hill, investigates, in a fascinating article in this week’s NLJ

According to a report by the World Bank, climate change could force 216 million people to migrate by 2030. Michaels highlights that there is currently no definition for a climate change ‘refugee’ and no legal recognition for those fleeing climate-related disaster.

The 1951 Convention on Refugees uses a definition based on ‘persecution’. A new legal text may be required. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
Conveyancing lawyers have enjoyed a rapid win after campaigning against UK Finance’s decision to charge for access to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The dangers of uncritical artificial intelligence (AI) use in legal practice are no longer hypothetical. In this week's NLJ, Dr Charanjit Singh of Holborn Chambers examines cases where lawyers relied on ‘hallucinated’ citations — entirely fictitious authorities generated by AI tools
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
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