Employment news Job figures mask rise in part-time working and self-employmentOver the past 6 months, the claimant count shows that unemployment has fallen by 300,000. These figures conceal trends towards part-time as opposed full-time working, and towards a large increase in the proportion of workers who are self-employed, which now amounts to around 15% of […]
The Latest Housing Law News Homelessness: on 16 August 2012 the UK Government published the latest statistics on homelessness prevention in England. They show that, in 2011-12, 174,800 cases of homelessness prevention were estimated to have taken place outside the statutory homelessness framework, an increase of 7% on the previous year. The most common action […]
News HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has published a report into the Dover Immigration Removal Centre. For a copy of the report click here. There has been a third roof top protest in less than three weeks at the Morton Hall detention centre in Swinderby, Lincolnshire. For more information click here. The UKBA has indicated […]
The Latest Housing Law News Mortgage default: on 9 August 2012 the Council of Mortgage Lenders published its latest figures for properties repossessed by its members. They show that 8,500 properties were repossessed in April-June 2012. For the details, click here. A leading academic forecast has suggested that repossessions are likely to remain at relatively […]
News The Commission on a Bill of Rights seeks further views from the public, posing a series of questions building on its 2011 Discussion Paper and on the views heard so far, about whether or not this country needs a UK Bill of Rights, and if so, what the form and content of any such […]
A jury in Leicester has delivered a critical narrative verdict at the inquest into the death of a woman in mental health detention. The family of Laura Dickins was represented by Stephen Simblet.
Sarah Hemingway has successfully acted for a man who suffered extensive injuries when he was wrongfully arrested, beaten with police batons and sprayed with CS spray by police officers. He received damages after a jury found in his favour in Liverpool on
The Latest Housing Law News Tenancy strategies: local housing authorities in England have less than six months left to formulate and publish their tenancy strategies for social rented housing in their districts. Shelter has published a new report designed to assist local politicians, strategy officers and policy officers in preparing their Tenancy Strategies and landlord […]
Cases Secretary of State for the Home Department v Hayat (Pakistan) [2012] EWCA Civ 105431 July 2012In considering the ratio of Chikwamba v Secretary of State for the Home Office [2008] UKHL; the Court of Appeal held that dismissing a claim on the procedural ground that it was the Secretary of State’s policy that an […]
Michael Hall and Lalith de Kauwe have secured acquittals at Harrow Crown Court for two men charged with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) and robbery.
The jury at the inquest into the death of Sean Rigg has delivered a highly critical narrative verdict, highlighting failures by both the police and mental health services. Mr Rigg died in police custody at Brixton police station in August 2008 after prolo
News In The Fact of Age, a report issued by Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England has revealed problems still occur in age assessments of children seeking asylum. Decision-making often does not function smoothly. This could also result in children being judged to be adults. Click here for more information. Cases RT (Zimbabwe) & Ors […]
The Latest Housing Law News Housing complaints and the Ombudsmen: the House of Commons Select Committee on Communities and Local Government has been reviewing the performance of the ombudsmen who investigate housing complaints. On 17 July 2012 it published a report on the work of the Local Government Ombudsmen (LGO) and issued a statement that […]
James Scobie QC and Julia Krish recently represented the defendant in the murder trial R v Reece Ludlow. After pleading guilty at Woolwich Crown Court, the defendant was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison.
A dispute over who succeeded a council tenant on her death has divided the judiciary and culminated in a landmark ruling in the Supreme Court.
The Latest Housing Law News Social housing allocation: the drip-drip of legal changes to the system of housing allocations in England continued last week with the laying of a new set of Allocation of Housing Regulations. They were laid on 19 July 2012 and come into force on 24 August 2012. They limit the powers […]
News For the government’s response to the Supreme Court judgments in Munir and Alvi (as to which see below) click here. Statement of changes in Immigration Rules Government laid a statement of changes in immigration rules on 19 July coming into force on 20 July, in order to safeguard their lawful operation in light of […]
Lalith de Kauwe has secured what is believed to be only the second acquittal in a criminal trial following the August 2011 London riots. After a five-week trial at Inner London Crown Court, the defendant was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit burgla
Rajeev Thacker and Anthony Vaughan represent the current British champion in the C1 discipline of canoeing, who launched judicial review proceedings yesterday challenging the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG's) refusal to carry out
An Iraqi man who hijacked a Sudanese airbus in 1996 has successfully challenged the Secretary of State's refusal to grant him indefinite leave to remain.
