Lawyer news

• Iceland repeals blasphemy ban after Pirate party campaign

  03-07-2015 20:40
  
  Move to overturn the 75-year-old law, which was started following the Charlie Hebdo attacks, had faced opposition from church groupsIceland has legalised blasphemy following a campaign started by the Pirate party after the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in France. The move to repeal the 75-year-old law, under which blasphemers could be imprisoned for up to three months or fined, faced opposition from some church groups.In a statement on its website, the party wrote that it was a victory for fre
  
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• Former UK ministers urge Obama to free Shaker Aamer from Guantánamo Bay

  03-07-2015 20:06
  
  Tory and Labour MPs, writers and actors among signatories of open letter to Barack Obama calling for release of UK resident held without charge for 14 yearsBoris Johnson has placed himself at the head of cross-party group, including a former Tory attorney general and Labour home secretary, who are calling on Barack Obama to secure the release of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident held in Guantánamo Bay.In an intervention timed to coincide with US Independence Day, six former cabinet
  
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• New Dutch law would allow bulk surveillance, compelled decryption - Ars Technica UK

  03-07-2015 18:46
  
  Ars Technica UK
  New Dutch law would allow bulk surveillance, compelled decryption
  Ars Technica UK
  The Netherlands has launched a public consultation (in Dutch) on a draft bill (Google Translate) that updates the country's existing Intelligence & Security Act of 2002. The proposed bill is wide-ranging, covering things like the use of DNA samples and ...
  
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• Clients to get indefinite time limit on legal complaints

  03-07-2015 18:18 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  New rules will also increase the time limit for consumers to bring a complaint after final contact with provider.
  
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• Clients may get indefinite time limit on legal complaints

  03-07-2015 18:18 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  New rules will also increase the time limit for consumers to bring a complaint after final contact with provider.
  
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• Senior judge calls for abolition of security cages from courtrooms

  03-07-2015 16:50
  
  Lord chief justice backs report calling for removal of secure docks amid concerns they compromise defendant’s right to a fair trialDefendants should no longer automatically be contained in secure, courtroom docks, according to the most senior judge in England and Wales.The lord chief justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, has lent his support to a report calling for removal of the glass-panelled, floor to ceiling security cages which have been installed in modern courts around the country.The dock
  
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• Practitioner groups condemn attacks on dissident firms

  03-07-2015 16:11 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  Firms continuing to take on new legal aid work report 'negative comments' and phone abuse.
  
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• Practitioner groups condemn attacks on dissenting firms

  03-07-2015 16:11 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  Firms continuing to take on new legal aid work report 'negative comments' and phone abuse.
  
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• Darts champion Phil Taylor fails in high court bid to gag the Sun

  03-07-2015 16:01
  
  Judge allows newspaper to publish interview with his estranged daughtersThe Sun defeated a legal attempt by darts champion Phil Taylor to prevent the newspaper from publishing an interview with his two daughters.Taylor had sought a high court injunction on the grounds that the Sun, in carrying the article, would have invaded his privacy and breached the Data Protection Act. Continue reading...
  
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• Hundreds of torture victims may sue UK over asylum detention

  03-07-2015 14:45
  
  High court finds in favour of four claimants, and many more may now bring cases against governmentHundreds of torture victims may sue the government for unlawful detention after a landmark ruling in the high court on Friday. Many of these cases could now be reconsidered by the Home Office.Four asylum seekers who fled rape and torture in their home countries brought a test case against the home secretary for locking them up in immigration centres under the detained fast-track (DFT) system in brea
  
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• Court levy U-turn for asbestos victims

  03-07-2015 13:51 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  Ministry of Justice letter admits ‘regret’ and offers to pay firm's £35,000 costs.
  
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• France rejects Julian Assange's asylum request

  03-07-2015 13:25
  
  President François Hollande refuses to grant refugee status to WikiLeaks founder, saying he is not in immediate dangerThe French government has rejected an asylum request from Julian Assange, saying he is “not in immediate danger” while holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in west London.The WikiLeaks founder wrote an open letter to François Hollande urging the French government to grant him refugee status, even though such a move would offer him no realistic chance of freedom. Continu
  
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• Practice note issued on duty to vulnerable

  03-07-2015 12:53 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  Solicitors could face sanctions if they do not comply with principles on dealing with vulnerable clients. 
  
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• Vara: Opening of Indian legal market now a matter of 'when'

  03-07-2015 12:26 via lawgazette.co.uk
  
  Minister says debate is continuing but the prospects of change are much greater.
  
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• Weighing up whether or not to write a law dissertation? Read this

  03-07-2015 11:45
  
  It’s a daunting project to take on, but writing a dissertation can give you skills that will be useful in your career
  Generally, writing a dissertation is not compulsory. But for law students in particular, it may be worth considering.It was last year’s conflict in Gaza that encouraged me to write a dissertation. I wanted to find out what the law had to say about such a contentious topic. Luckily, at most law schools you can be flexible with the focus of your dissertation. Related: Ten thing
  
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• If you want to keep sharing photos for free, read this | Jimmy Wales

  03-07-2015 09:00
  
  Freedom of panorama – the right to use photographs of public spaces without restriction – may be lost under a proposed EU law. Sign up to save itIf you have ever travelled to Paris, you probably visited and took pictures of the Eiffel Tower. There is a special delight in capturing it with your own camera, commemorating the moment of standing next to this marvel yourself.But if you happened to take those pictures at night, you may be surprised to know that according to French law, your rights
  
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• UK Information Commissioner’s Office reports rise in spam calls and texts

  03-07-2015 01:52
  
  Watchdog says most nuisance communications related to accident claims, green energy, payday loans and lifestyle surveys More than 180,000 complaints were made about commercial nuisance calls and texts last year, according to new figures. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) noted a 12% rise in complaints about spam communications in 2014/15, compared with the previous year. The watchdog’s annual report said it had issued five fines relating to marketing calls and texts total
  
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