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Private eye

19 May 2011 / Tom Morrison
Issue: 7466 / Categories: Features , Data protection , Freedom of Information
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Tom Morrison kicks off his quarterly review of the world of information law

We are all interested in what happens to our own information—how it is used, to whom it is given and how it is kept secure—and we want to know more about how well public authorities are being run. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair may regret it now, but when he came good on New Labour’s manifesto commitment to put the Freedom of Information Act on the statute books he set in train a series of events that would change the expectations of ordinary Joe Public forever. There is no turning back: data protection and freedom of information are here to stay. It will never be a vote-winner for any mainstream political party to pledge to reduce the protection afforded to individuals’ personal information, nor will it be popular to campaign on a promise to remove the rights of citizens to access information about how money is being spent in their name.

The regulatory noose has been tightening for some time to

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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