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| Thursday January 9 2020 |
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By Jonathan Ames
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Good morning and welcome to the relaunch of The Brief.
After more than four years of providing daily news, comment and analysis, reader feedback shows that you want more comment, analysis and gossip — so that’s what you’re going to get in the new weekly version.
The focus of one of the biggest stories over the festive winter break — that’s Christmas and new year to old-school readers — was abroad. A British teenager received a suspended sentence in Cyprus after she was convicted of making false rape allegations. The story has shone a harsh light on the Cypriot legal system.
Back home, the new Conservative government was hinting at radical reforms that could see prosecutors leading investigations in England and Wales as they do in Scotland. An employment tribunal handed down a shock ruling that ethical veganism is protected under equality legislation. And lawyers going wrong on social media was an issue as a barrister was suspended and another had a memorable Boxing Day run-in with a fox.
So much for looking back — our first bulletin is mostly about looking forward. See our round-up of the key legal issues in the year ahead so you can fill in you diary.
We also launch a regular “in conversation” series with leading lights in the legal profession; today we kick off with Dame Margaret Booth, who was only the tenth woman QC and the third woman appointed to the High Court bench.
There is also leading commentary from a range of experts, with the launch of a regular Times Law analysis article from Lord Sumption, the former Supreme Court justice, who this week tackles the courts and philosophical belief.
And there are also comments on the Carlos Ghosn saga, trademark moves by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, California data legislation that will have a long reach . . . and the perils of law firm boozing. The very fact that the word is “perils” and not benefits indicates just how dramatically the times are changing.
See you next week.
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Crystal ball — the year ahead
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Divorce, human rights, property: key legal issues for 2020
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The 22 bills in the second Queen’s Speech of last year suggest a packed reform agenda for the year ahead. Much of it is unfinished business, with the bill to sever Britain from the EU at the top of the list.
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Read the full story
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In this week's Times Law
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Juries don't believe video evidence that's 'like TV'
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Alleged rape victims are being failed by courtroom technology, Amanda Pinto, QC, the new chairwoman of the Bar Council, argues.
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Read the full story
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Feature round-up
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Also in Times Law
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Comment and analysis
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A royal brand bid
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Here's some advice for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they trademark their charitable foundation, courtesy of Tania Clark
Announcing their intention to step back as senior royals yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex outlined their commitment to setting up their own charitable foundation.
Pursuing two trademark registrations to protect its name is a sensible decision from the brand-conscious couple, but they will have to demonstrate genuine use to be in a position to enforce these rights in five years’ time.
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Read the full story
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Calling time on boozy events in the legal profession
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Alcohol is linked to poor mental health, bullying and sexual harassment. Let’s be more drink aware, Charlotte Parkinson writes
The junior lawyers division of the Law Society found in its third annual wellbeing survey of more than 1,800 junior lawyers that alcohol was being used as a coping mechanism for many of those dealing with work pressure.
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Read the full story
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Escape exposes Japan to unwanted scrutiny
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Whatever the truth, Carlos Ghosn appears to have been imprisoned in his own home, Ben Keith writes
His defence team in Japan went public to say that they felt “betrayed” and “dumbfounded”. It is quite remarkable for a defence lawyer to make negative statements about a client.
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Read the full story
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The long reach of California’s new data privacy law
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Companies ignore its key differences to European regulation at their peril, Rafi Azim-Khan writes
Business faces a tsunami of data regulation — from the EU general data protection regulation to the New York financial services department’s cybersecurity regulations — all of which are designed to empower consumers against the perceived overreach of big tech.
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Read the full story
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In conversation
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‘You just put your head down and got on with it’
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Dame Margaret Booth talks to Catherine Baksi about finding a place for herself in the male-dominated judiciary of the Seventies
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Read the full story
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Elsewhere this week
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- Lawyer mayoral candidate quizzed over sexuality — The Times
- Divorce reform swiftly returns to parliament — Law Gazette
- Eversheds Sutherland on high alert as it keeps Iraq offices open — Legal Week
- Tribunal overturns unfair dismissal ruling against partner — Legal Futures
- Detainees 'waiting hours' for solicitor after call centre goes down — Law Gazette
- Former DWF trainee barred after dismissal for gross misconduct — The Lawyer
- Revealed: What partners really think of their law firms — Roll on Friday
- Do lawyers really start work later than other people? Legal Cheek
- Judge Judy’s verdict on Michael Bloomberg: He’s the one — The Times
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Blue Bag
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Starmer the charmer is the punters’ favourite
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Odds are that a lawyer will replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party in April.
Sir Keir Starmer, QC, the former director of prosecutions, yesterday emerged as the frontrunner with both the parliamentary party and the bookies. He was the first of the candidates to surpass the threshold of 22 MP backers. And William Hill quoted odds of 8/11 on the former Doughty Street chambers tenant, making him the punters’ favourite.
Rebecca Long Bailey, a former Manchester solicitor who specialised on NHS contract law, has drifted out from 2/1 to 9/4 as the second favourite. The other lawyer in the race, Emily Thornberry, who was called to the Bar in 1985 and was a human rights specialist, remains a long shot at 50/1.
The other three candidates — Lisa Nandy (9/1), Jess Phillips (14/1) and Clive Lewis (33/1) — are all clean skins as far as the legal profession is concerned.
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