Morning round-up: Thursday 19 December

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By Legal Cheek on

Simon Hughes appointed justice minister in place of Lord McNally in surprise reshuffle [The Guardian]

Struck off, judges caught pocketing £1.5million in legal aid handouts: Money still missing three years after abuse of system was detected [Mail Online]

Life at the bar: Taking on senior counsel [Lawyer2B]

Essex law firm investigated over £3m stamp duty allegations [BBC News]

Trainee legal clerk died after swallowing opiate painkiller patch that gave him 5 times the recommended safe dose [Mail Online]

Judge v spies [The Economist]

Melissa Reid asks Peru judge for UK prison [BBC News]

Chris Grayling: I have very real concerns about Strasbourg ruling on “life means life” sentences [The Telegraph]