End of the day round-up

By |

sleeping-catJoshua Rozenberg: Flaws in fraud case show worrying lapses by judges and lawyers [The Guardian]

Withers and Speechly Bircham call off merger after top-level talks [Legal Week]

How do you become a barristers’ clerk? [notabarrister]

Fury over sex gang victim, 18, who had to endure 12 days of excruciating cross-examination in trial that shamed the legal system [Mail Online]

PM's Woolwich terror attack statement [YouTube]

Cameron praised for respecting Rule of Law [Twitter]

The privatisation of legal proceedings in the US has led to untold miscarriages of justice – and now it's coming to a town near you [The Independent]

6 animals that look like Chris Grayling

By |

Some have lampooned Chris Grayling for his lack of a legal qualification. Others have sought to undermine him with cruel nicknames, such as Failing Grayling – from which a Twitter account has been spawned. Rather cruelly, said Twitter account recently drew attention to the Justice Secretary's likeness to a "dead eyed wet fish" – a reference, of course, to the Grayling fish (pictured below).

grayling-fish

Continuing in that vein, here are five further animals that, arguably, closely resemble Chris Grayling.

Continue reading

Morning round-up: Thursday 23 May

By |

Former solicitor Bob Mortimer heaps ridicule on Dynamo Legal founder Alex Mills [Twitter]

Barrister quizzes Google chief Eric Schmidt on his tax affairs at Google Big Tent [The Guardian]

Guildford Four member: "Back in the 1970s they sent innocent people to jail by the vanload. But if these cuts go through they’ll be sending them in by the Eddie Stobart truckload" [Socialist Worker]

Britain could end up in the dock at a European court if Bermuda fails to bring its human rights law up to date [Bermuda Sun]

Forget ABSs – AI, touchable holographs and telepresence robots "will transform the law" [Legal Futures]

Judges give reasons for rejecting Bali Briton's appeal [The Guardian]

Boris's sexual shenanigans and a landmark victory over our creeping culture of Stalinist secrecy [Daily Mail]

End of the day round-up

By |

8Legal aid budget protests: 8 reasons to back lawyers' campaign [The Mirror]

Police refused to help lawyer track down "stolen" iPad [Birmingham Mail]

I’m smart, fun, and a lawyer – you’d never guess I’m also a sociopath [The Times]

Training contract numbers fall to lowest level since 1998 [The Lawyer]

Lawyers protest outside parliament against legal aid cuts [The Guardian]

The worst LLM programmes in the world [Above the Law]

‘The tide may flood law firms, but I remain unconvinced that it will engulf the Bar’

By |

occupytheinnsThe profession which I am to join in September as a pupil barrister is facing its biggest threat yet. No question about that. That is why today's protest outside parliament is so necessary. I am only sorry that I cannot be there, writes OccupyTheInns.

I must admit that I am finding Australia, where I am recharging my batteries following a period of travel and human rights work, rather difficult to enjoy.

If the truth be told, my mind is elsewhere, far from the fine beaches and abundant wildlife. Barely a day goes by without me checking for news on the situation at home. It is no understatement to say that I am deeply concerned about the assault on legal aid and the impact it will have not just on my future in criminal law, but on justice itself.

Fortunately, my chambers is a good one, sure to push on despite whatever missiles this clown of a non-lawyer Lord Chancellor propels at it from his bunker of ignorance. For this reason I am assured of my short term. Pupillage and the first years as a junior tenant are probably secure. However, beyond that the picture becomes unclear.

Continue reading

Morning round-up: Wednesday 22 May

By |

urbanLawyers and judges now using the Urban Dictionary in court [New York Times]

Britain's unusual and antiquated distinction between barristers and solicitors ought not be sacrosanct [The Guardian]

Baker & Mckenzie lawyer booted from Russia for (allegedly) refusing to serve as Kremlin spy [Wired]

Exhibit D – the "fraudster" [A Barrister's Wife]

Newly qualified Kingsley Napley solicitor voices legal aid concerns [BBC 5 Live on Twitter]

London Legal Walk raises over £575,000 for free legal advice [UK Fundraising]

Jail warning after injury claim man seen at rugby training [BBC News]

Young vs Young... a new twist in the capital’s most bitter divorce battle [Evening Standard]

End of the day round-up

By |

strike1Barrister's wife: four reasons why the legal aid reforms need to be stopped [New Statesman]

Justice Grayling-style: an imagined conversation that could become all too real, all too soon [A view from the North]

Lawyers rally to fight legal aid cuts [Manchester Evening News]

Is family law next? [Twitter]

Top destinations for expat lawyers ranked [Legal Week]

Jerry Hayes: Why gay marriage vote is groundhog day for the Tories [Comment is free]

11 reasons you’re wrong to hate Clapham [Buzzfeed]

Morning round-up: Tuesday 21 May

By |

Sadiq Khan: Legal aid cuts will lead to state-sponsored miscarriages of justice [Comment is free]

7,000 lawyers hit the streets of London [Twitter]

legal-walk1

A video investigating the implications of the legal aid reforms proposed by Chris Grayling [Total Politics]

Adam Wagner: Myths and realities about equal marriage [New Statesman]

Abu Qatada to stay behind bars after judge denies him bail [The Guardian]

Liverpool-born judge Sir Brian Leveson succeeds Queen legend Brian May as Liverpool John Moores University Chancellor [Liverpool Echo]

Public has right to know about Boris Johnson's secret lovechild, court rules [The Telegraph]

End of the day round-up

By |

gay-pride300200Nick Clegg urges MPs not to "derail" gay marriage plan [BBC News]

Eddie Stobart Airways? [News & Star]

Trainee lawyer in line for payout after being denied a permanent role at City firm which discriminated against her over pregnancy in final stages of her £42,000 contract [Mai Online]

SJ Berwin name poised to vanish as King & Wood merger vote looms [The Lawyer]

Barrister Barbara Hewson to answer questions about her highly controversial Operation Yewtree article [Twitter]

Legal aid cuts "disaster" for black Londoners, warns lawyer for Stephen Lawrence's family [Evening Standard]

Security firm faces fines for "embarrassing" court delays: Judge blasts company after court made to wait while guards take their lunch break [Mail Online]

Saudi Arabia accepts registration of female lawyer [Law Society Gazette]