A climate activist who served one of the longest prison sentences in modern British history for a peaceful protest has won his appeal against deportation. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

This is tomorrow. Online tickets available.

"Because the Human Rights Act has enriched the scope of human rights protections available at common law over the past 25 years, we should not be unduly fearful about the common law’s ability to cope if the UK were to repeal the HRA or abandon the ECHR": @UKSupremeCourt Justice Lord Briggs.

A new equality, diversity and inclusion strategy by The Law Society aims to build a more diverse, open and inclusive profession. Law Society President Mark Evans said that despite progress, ‘inequality and bias continue to shape career paths’. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/law-soc...

New research reveals that while alcohol consumption in Britain is falling, alcohol harm remains high, costing the UK an estimated £40 billion a year, including £5.89 billion to the NHS. The report finds that British Muslims alone save the government £1.62 billion a year by abstaining from alcohol.

The government must start to contemplate how and when court decisions should be made by artificial intelligence, the courts minister said. @sarahsackman.bsky.social said inviting greater use of AI could bring huge potential benefits. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/iba-202...

Please do join us at this HRLA next week. At a time when international law is under strain, & the ECHR is singled out for particular attack, it is important to reflect on the UK’s past and future commitment to international justice, human rights and the international rule of law.

Nearly 300 organisations have issued a rallying cry for a “full-throated defence” of the European Convention on Human Rights – accusing politicians of using it as a scapegoat with devastating effects. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

"The European Convention on Human Rights: 75 years on": a Human Rights Lawyers Association event, with @womaninhavana.bsky.social, @dzehtsiarou.bsky.social, Parosha Chandran and @katywatts.bsky.social. 11 November at Hogan Lovells and online. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-europe...

Britain is one of the least “nature connected” nations in the world, according to the first ever global study of how people relate to the natural world. Britain ranks 55th out of 61 countries in the study of 57,000 people. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Lord Neuberger: "We live in a world where law is increasingly complex; access to independent properly trained lawyers is an ever more essential ingredient. If access to lawyers for advice and representation is restricted to the rich or few, you do not really have the rule of law".

"Trump’s authoritarian regime has denied a visa to human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy. Kennedy, also sanctioned by China, is a regular visitor to the US, where she owns a home. Kennedy believes her visa was withheld because she signed a letter critical of Trump". www.newstatesman.com/politics/com...

Five women have asked for an apology from Nigel Farage after he suggested they were not victims of grooming gangs. They described the comments by the Reform leader as “degrading and humiliating”, and accused him of “ignorance” of the issues. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

The president of the Family Division told MPs of the importance of solicitors and of the family drug and alcohol courts. Sir Andrew McFarlane said that cuts to legal aid had contributed to the backlog. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/family-...

In 2024, Richard Hermer KC acted for a client who alleged UK complicity in torture. The case was brought against Foreign Office, Home Office & Attorney General. In 2025, case reaches court and Attorney General is Lord (Richard) Hermer KC. So, he himself drafted the legal claim he is a defendant in.

Victims of the Windrush scandal will be paid as much as 75% of their compensation in advance under an overhaul of the scheme designed to deliver faster justice. Victims will also be compensated for lost contributions to work or personal pensions. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

"No one can listen to our calls?" a manager from Clarion, UK's largest housing association, asks one of her team. "Don't tell anyone" she says, before instructing him how to pretend he's put up a fire safety notice in a building. "Just put it on a wall, take a picture". news.sky.com/story/dont-t...

A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct relating to his time working at London's Charing Cross police station. He was recorded by the BBC using derogatory and violent language about suspects who belong to ethnic and religious minorities.

Over 460 Jewish figures, including former Israeli officials, Oscar winners, authors and intellectuals, have signed a letter calling on the UN and world leaders to impose sanctions on Israel over its “unconscionable” actions amounting to genocide in Gaza. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivers Advisory Opinion on "Obligations of Israel in relation to Presence and Activities of UN, International Organizations and Third States in Occupied Palestine", i.e., Israel obligations around humanitarian access to territories. webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1w...

"A man sent back to France under the “one in, one out” scheme has returned to the UK on a small boat". Starmer's plan going exactly as expected. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

"The Ministry of Justice has received a criminal conviction with a £1,000 fine over a speeding ticket, after officials did not respond to a prosecution brought through its own secretive courts". www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/m...

Court of Appeal dismisses Home Office appeal in Palestine Action case. Home Office wanted to stop the High Court even hearing the challenge to its decision to proscribe Palestine Action. Today's decision means the High Court will hear the case, next month. Amazing work by all of the legal team!

"What do we, as humans, want human judges rather than machines, to decide in the future? Ought a criminal, before being sentenced, be able to say they want to be sentenced by a machine rather than a human or vice versa?: speech about AI by the Master of the Rolls. www.judiciary.uk/speech-about...

‘Allowing a minister to determine judicial appointments risks politicising the judiciary, undermining public confidence in court impartiality, and eroding the important constitutional principle of separation of powers that underpins the rule of law": Garden Court Chambers response to Robert Jenrick.

"Serious debate needed to consider what human rights people have in light of more capable AI". This should include whether AI decision-making meets ECHR definition of independent, impartial tribunal established by law. "Some say yes, others no": Geoffrey Vos MR. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/debate-...

Starmer’s grooming gangs inquiry has stalled amid wrangles over its remit and difficulties in finding a senior legal figure willing to become its chair. The search for the panel's chair is ongoing, as judges and lawyers appear to be reluctant to head the inquiry. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

"Politically motivated attacks on the legal profession are irresponsible and dangerous. They weaken public confidence in rule of law and erode foundations of justice. Barristers, solicitors and judges have been subjected to violence, death threats and rape threats. Some received threats to family".

Law Society of England and Wales, Bar Council of England and Wales, Law Society of Scotland, Faculty of Advocates, Bar of Northern Ireland and Law Society of Northern Ireland unite to express grave concern about increasing hostility towards lawyers and judges. www.lawsociety.org.uk/contact-or-v...

Law Society guidance has been altered to ask members to stop using ‘Dear Sirs’ at the start of letters. If they do not know the identity of the recipient, members are encouraged to use words like ‘Dear legal team’, ‘Dear all’, ‘greetings’ or ‘good morning’. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/goodbye...

The outgoing UK judge of the European Court of Human Rights has said the institution is more vital than it has been for decades. He said he ‘hardly recognised’ the court he knew from the recent commentary and criticism of its work. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/ecthr-m...

Not that the Leader of the Free World is a deranged, unstable, egotistical thug, but:

Court of Appeal allows asylum seeker's appeal on the basis that the Secretary of State failed to conduct a s.55 “best interests” exercise in relation to the application of her family reunion policy to child refugees. www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWC...

North Wales solicitor Mark Evans today became the 181st president of The Law Society. He is the third president to come from Wales. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/new-pre...

UK national security is under severe threat from the climate crisis and the looming collapse of vital natural ecosystems, with food shortages and economic disaster potentially just years away, a report by the UK’s intelligence chiefs is due to warn. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Three armed police officers involved in last week's fatal terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester have been cleared of misconduct. A member of the public was mistakenly killed by police gunfire as they aimed for the suspect. www.lbc.co.uk/article/manc...

A barrister wrongly imprisoned for alleged contempt of court has failed in his latest attempt to have the responsible judge investigated for misconduct. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/wrongly...

A new YouGov survey shows that the public are generally opposed to leaving the ECHR, with 46% saying we should remain a member compared to 29% saying we should withdraw from it – the remaining 24% are unsure. More depressingly, "Only 24% correctly identified that the ECHR is not an EU body".

The biggest legal claim ever brought in the UK over environmental pollution in the country has been filed at the High Court. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

"Human rights, as a political and moral value system, is losing ground. One fears a hurricane of horrors might be brewing. It may be a tropical storm at present, but rapid intensification into Category 4 or 5 is by no means unlikely": Robert Spano, ex-president of the European Court of Human Rights.

Robert Jenrick will pledge to sack “activist” judges in a crackdown on “pro-migration bias” in the judiciary. www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

"The European Convention on Human Rights: 75 years on": an event with Lord (David) Alton, @womaninhavana.bsky.social, Professor Parosha Chandran, @katywatts.bsky.social and Charles Brasted. Thank you to Hogan Lovells for hosting. echr75hrla.eventbrite.co.uk

Delighted to chair the Human Rights Lawyers Association's brilliant Inaugural Annual Lecture last week, delivered by the phenomenal Robert Spano, with a reply from the legendary Baroness Hale. Huge thanks to the speakers, and to everyone who joined us.

Here we go again. "The government is understood to be considering the reintroduction of employment tribunal fees". www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/labour-...

Refugees granted asylum in the UK will no longer be automatically given settlement and family reunion rights, Sir Keir Starmer will announce. news.sky.com/story/no-gol...

Wonderful evening to celebrate 200 years of the Law Society with lots of amazing colleagues.

High Court: A company linked to Baroness Michelle Mone must repay the government £122m for breaching a contract for medical gowns during the Covid pandemic. PPE Medpro, which was set up by a consortium led by Mone's husband, Doug Barrowman, was paid millions to supply the gowns.

The deputy prime minister David Lammy made history today as he was sworn in as the first black lord chancellor. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/lord-ch...

"Barristers have said they have faced death threats and rape threats, threats to their family members, threats made by politicians and physical surveillance. Lawyers have been traduced in some parts of the media both at home and abroad": Bar Council Chair. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/nationa...