In my first weekly appearance on The Alan Titchmarsh Show I joined journalist Fiona Foster to discuss the growing problem of cold calling, especially for the elderly and vulnerable (view below). New research Which? suggests that in June this year, an estimated 700million nuisance calls were received by people in the UK. Calls range from live … Continue reading
A Yorkshire rugby star sacked after a photo of a teammate’s bottom appeared on his Twitter feed has been awarded almost £150,000 for wrongful dismissal following a hearing in Leeds. Keith Mason has been awarded significant damages after his former Rugby Super League club Huddersfield Giants, for which he had played seven seasons, dismissed him … Continue reading
Kevin Poulter sees solicitors adapting to austere times and firms nurturing the very best of our future lawyers, but is the Bar prepared to do the same? Last month saw the sixth National Apprenticeship Week and the formal launch of the Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Services, supported by Skills for Justice and the National Apprenticeship … Continue reading
PODCAST: Alex Aldridge and Kevin Poulter discuss changes at the criminal Bar The criminal Bar scored a coup this week when – for the first time in recent memory – it got some positive coverage in the right wing press. Sadly, the comments on the online versions of the articles illustrate just how big a challenge … Continue reading
Dominic Grieve QC, the Attorney General, has recently been speaking out about the use of social media and advocating a zero tolerance approach. When I met with him we discussed this and how his own position might be seen to be at odds with some of his colleagues in public office. Dominic Grieve has enjoyed a steady … Continue reading
The Attorney General Dominic Grieve has warned that Twitter users who have posted or retweeted pictures claiming to be of Jon Venables, who murdered James Bulger as a child 20 years ago, may be fined and could face a prison sentence. An order is in place to protect the identity of James Bulger’s killers, Venables … Continue reading
The Court of Appeal in London has suggested that Google and other online platforms may be liable for defamatory comments posted by users of their websites. The ruling confirmed that websites must act on complaints reasonably quickly to maintain their status as mere “facilitators” rather than publishers, which would expose them to greater liability for libellous comments posted … Continue reading
The BBC has reported a case in Northern Ireland in which a High Court judge has awarded damages of £35,000 against an unknown person who defamed people on Facebook. The identities of the three individuals who were libelled directly and by implication – and the business in which they worked – have not been revealed at the request of … Continue reading
When will an employer’s interference with an employee’s right to manifest their religion and beliefs be considered proportionate? Kevin Poulter considers the issue raised by the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) judgment in Eweida v United Kingdom. Eweida v United Kingdom ((Application Nos 48420/10, 59842/10, 51671/10 and 36516/10) [2013] ECHR 48420/10, [2013] All ER … Continue reading
Kevin Poulter 