CONFERENCE SPECIAL: this week’s Bulletin is being published to coincide with the Annual Conference of the Housing Law Practitioners Association (HLPA) being held today in London. To join HLPA, or to find out more about its activities, click here. Housing Law News Housing Policy: in the Autumn Statement on 5 December 2013 the Chancellor announced […]
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has today announced that it has re-opened the investigation into the death of Sean Rigg, who died in police custody in 2008. Following his inquest in 2012, in which his family were represented by Leslie Thomas
The Home Office has settled a case at a substantial sum for unlawfully detaining a mentally ill migrant for nearly three years. The man was represented by Amanda Weston.
Garden Court Chambers is delighted to learn that Stephanie Harrison QC has won Liberty's prestigious Human Rights Lawyer of the Year Award. The award was made last week at a ceremony to honour human rights heroes.
A female victim of trafficking has had her conviction for possession of a false passport overturned in the Court of Appeal. The woman was represented by Shahida Begum.
STOP PRESS: the current editor of this Bulletin (Jan Luba QC) will be chairing and delivering presentations on social housing law THIS FRIDAY at the Housing Management Law Conference. To join him, click here. Housing Law News Legal Aid for Housing Possession Cases: housing possession cases in England and Wales are considered so important for […]
Immigration Law News The Secretary of State published a new set of application forms for use from 1 December 2013 by applicants who are already in the UK, two addressing the Armed Forces cases, but also the FLR (FP) – for use in place of the FLR (O), for persons applying for limited leave to […]
In an article for The Barrister magazine, Dexter Dias QC argues against the high levels of custody and prison overcrowding and draws lessons from his research at Harvard University.
Housing Law News New Housing Law: two new Housing Bills have been introduced which are designed to radically reform housing law in both the public and private sectors. For the Housing (Wales) Bill introduced in the Welsh Assembly, click here. For the Explanatory Memorandum, click here. For the timetable for legislative scrutiny, click here. For […]
Employment Law News Protest Over Union Workers Blacklist Scandal Sixty activists have vented their anger during a protest over the scandal of blacklisted workers. The demonstrators at the Alder Hey Hospital building site in Liverpool want to highlight what they claim is the continued anti-union stance and denial of facilities for trade unionists of the […]
Immigration Law Cases Patel & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] UKSC 72 (20 November 2013)The power to issue removal directions under S.10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and S.47 of the Immigration, Asylum Nationality Act 2006, are no more than statutory powers available to the Secretary of State. […]
Liberty, the civil liberties and human rights organisation, has today confirmed that Stephanie Harrison QC has been shortlisted for their Human Rights Lawyer of the Year Award. In a statement, Liberty said that Stephanie's nomination was in recognition of
In a short and clear judgment the Court of Appeal has declared unlawful powers which the Home Secretary gave herself to terminate judicial review proceedings without further order of the court.
Immigration Law News The UNHCR has expressed great concerns over reports that some European Union countries were placing barriers to entry or forcibly returning asylum-seekers, including people who have fled Syria. To read further, click here. The Government has announced a consultation looking at immigration fees charging principles. This began on 12 November 2013 and […]
A student has been acquitted of threatening the Conservative MP for Hove, by calling him a coward.
JS was convicted of serious sexual offences against vulnerable girls, recommended for deportation and subject to automatic deportation. He was eventually released, after 15 months of immigration detention, after the expiry of his prison sentence, when the
Housing Law News The "bedroom tax": on 7 November 2013 regulations were laid to enable a further bedroom to be included for Housing Benefit (HB) purposes where the household includes "a child who cannot share a bedroom". This definition applies to a child who (1) is entitled to the care component of disability living allowance […]
We are delighted to learn that civil liberties and human rights barrister Leslie Thomas has been awarded an honorary doctorate of law by his alma mater Kingston University London.
The trial against Shajul Islam, an NHS doctor accused of kidnapping a British photographer in Syria, has been dropped. He was represented by Henry Blaxland QC and Hossein Zahir.
Immigration Law News New immigration rules for the armed forces took effect on 8 November 2013 requiring that members of HM Forces have to meet a minimum income threshold before sponsoring spouses to come here. English language requirements will attend such applications, which will attract a five-year probationary period before settlement may be applied for. […]
