News & Views

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News & Views

Garden Court Chambers | Friday 21 February 2014

Maya Sikand joins Archbold Contributing Editors team

Maya Sikand has accepted an invitation to join the eminent team of Contributing Editors to Archbold.

Garden Court Chambers | Wednesday 19 February 2014

Leslie Thomas and Marc Willers appointed as Queen’s Counsel

Garden Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Dr Leslie Thomas and Marc Willers have been appointed Queen's Counsel.

Garden Court Chambers | Tuesday 18 February 2014

High Court rules in favour of former soldier refused British Citizenship because of speeding offence

The High Court today ruled in favour of a former member of the British Armed Forces who had been refused British Citizenship on the basis of a sole speeding offence for which he received 5 points and a £100 fine. Raza Halim was instructed for the claiman

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 17 February 2014

Housing Law Bulletin – Issue 344 – 17 February 2014

Housing Law News Evictions: on 13 February 2014 the UK Government published the latest court statistics on possession claims brought by landlords and mortgage lenders in England and Wales. The figures indicate that 9,607 tenants were actually evicted in only 13 weeks (October to December 2013) by county court bailiffs acting pursuant to social and […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 17 February 2014

Immigration Law Bulletin – Issue 359 – 17 February 2014

Immigration Law News The Government has renewed the immigration concession for Syrian nationals for another year, until 28 February 2015. This concession gives greater flexibility to Syrian nationals who are in the UK on a visa, by offering them more ways to extend their stay in the UK. To read further, click here. Immigration Law […]

Garden Court Chambers | Friday 14 February 2014

European Court of Human Rights to decide whether conditions for asylum seekers in Italy breach Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights

The Court will decide whether other Member States should take responsibility for asylum claims rather than returning asylum seekers to Italy. Mark Symes has been instructed by the intervenors.

Garden Court Chambers | Wednesday 12 February 2014

Immigration Bulletin – Issue 358 – 12 February 2014

Immigration Law News The lessons of Morecambe Bay have not been learned – ten years after the cockle pickers tragedy, we are still focusing on the arrival of migrants, not their rights. To read more, click here. Immigration Minister Mark Harper quits over illegal cleaner. To read more, click here. Gay asylum seekers face humiliation. […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 10 February 2014

Dexter Dias QC published in Guardian on UK’s failure to protect women and girls from genital mutilation

Dexter Dias QC has published an article in The Guardian analysing why the anti-FGM law has failed and offering alternative solutions.

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 10 February 2014

Housing Law Bulletin – Issue 343 – 10 February 2014

Housing Law News Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: the Government’s Anti-social Behaviour etc Bill passed its remaining Parliamentary stages last week. It will receive Royal Assent shortly. For a background briefing on the various amendments to the Bill made in the House of Lords, click here. Housing Law changes: the Deregulation Bill had its House of […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 10 February 2014

Employment Law Bulletin – Issue 162 – 11 February 2014

Employment news Zero hours contracts The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills is consulting on the future of zero hours contracts (i.e. contracts in which a worker is subordinated to the employer but is not offered any minimum number of hours in advance). These contracts have proved controversial because of the potential imbalance where a […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 3 February 2014

Housing Law Bulletin – Issue 342 – 3 February 2014

Housing Law News Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPS) (1): today (3 February) is that last day on which local authorities can apply to the UK Government for a share of the extra £20 million being made available to councils this year for DHPs. On 29 January 2014 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Minister told […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 3 February 2014

Immigration Law Bulletin – Issue 357 – 3 February 2014

Immigration Law News The Home Secretary published a proposed amendment to the Immigration Bill passing through Parliament whereby she will be able to deprive a person of British citizenship acquired by naturalisation even if by doing so she will render the person stateless. She will be able to use that power if the person ‘has […]

Garden Court Chambers | Thursday 30 January 2014

Under what circumstances can children lawfully be detained by the police? Shu Shin Luh explains.

Shu Shin Luh, in an interview with LexisNexis, explores the legislative requirements and case law regarding the detention of children by the police.

Administrative and Public Law | Thursday 30 January 2014

Court of Appeal rules immigration detention of mentally ill woman unlawful

The Court of Appeal in a test case on Tuesday overturned a decision of the Administrative Court in relation to Home Office policy of detaining those subject to immigration control with a serious mental illness.

Garden Court Chambers | Wednesday 29 January 2014

Successful outcomes in linked disrepair claims demonstrate the importance of preserving Legal Aid for housing cases

Tim Baldwin and Connor Johnston have successfully represented the claimant in two linked housing disrepair cases involving substantial damages. Of concern is that cases like this now probably lie outside the scope of legal aid.

Garden Court Chambers | Tuesday 28 January 2014

Employment Law Bulletin – Issue 161 – 28 January 2014

Employment Law News 98 South-West workers on industry blacklist Blacklisted engineer Dave Smith is next month speaking at the South West TUC’s health and safety conference in Exeter. Dave Smith lost his job after leading a series of on-site health and safety campaigns at work, earning him the reputation as a trouble-maker in the eyes […]

Garden Court Chambers | Tuesday 28 January 2014

Housing Law Bulletin – Issue 341 – 28 January 2014

Housing Law News Defending possession claims: yesterday (27 January 2014) the legal aid rules were changed so that legal aid is no longer available to defend residential possession claims which only have ‘borderline’ prospects of success. For the regulations making that change, click here. For the explanatory memorandum, click here. The regulations were approved despite […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 27 January 2014

Immigration Law Bulletin – Issue 356 – 27 January 2014

Immigration Law Cases Secretary of State for the Home Department v Rodriguez [2014] EWCA Civ 220 January 2014A letter of the 19 May 2011 from the UKBA to the Joint Education Task Force Members, which stated that a new practice whereby all applicants would be notified of the absence of mandatory evidence and would be […]

Garden Court Chambers | Friday 24 January 2014

Central London County Court dismisses claim for possession against profoundly deaf gay man who cannot speak

The Central London County Court has dismissed a claim for possession against a profoundly deaf gay man who cannot speak. The judge called for more flexible criteria when considering lesbian or gay relationships. John Beckley represented the defendant.

Garden Court Chambers | Thursday 23 January 2014

High Court rules grandmother entitled to fostering allowance after local authority placed granddaughter in her care

The High Court has held that a young girl, removed from her parents' care and put in the care of her grandmother, was placed there pursuant to the local authority's duty under section 20, Children Act 1989. Shu Shin Luh acted for the claimant.