A report assessing the impacts of COVID-19 on the legal industry has been released by Wolters Kluwer at the end of June 2021, titled “The 2021 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer: Moving Beyond the Pandemic”.
Ginormous Price Tags! The Impact of Covid on UK Property Market.
Compulsory Licensing: A solution to the COVID-19 vaccine patent debate?
The Covid vaccine patent waiver: a real solution to the vaccine shortage in developing nations?
With backing from the Pope, on 5th May President Biden expressed support for a temporary waiver on patents for Covid vaccines. At the WTO conference in Porto however, EU nations have pushed back against the proposal, suggesting instead that the US should allow the increased export of doses and key ingredients to countries that are currently facing a shortage of doses and rising death tolls,1 such as India and Brazil.
Unlawful Discrimination! Corona-Virus Act Large £10,000 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs)
This article will examine the issue of widespread unlawful discrimination in the use of Covid-19 Fixed Penalty Notices in breach of Articles 7, 8, and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and some of the damaging findings before then exploring some of the suggested solutions advanced by the Committee.
Councils Negligent in their Duty to the Elderly
On 27 January 2021 the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman concluded an investigation into a Nottinghamshire County Council pursuant to the Local Government Act 1974, sections 26(1) and s26A(1). [1] [2] [3] It produced a damning report concluding that Nottinghamshire County Council had failed to have any regard for even the most basic human rights of a man living in a care home miles away for his family for 5 months.
Supreme Court judgment in FCA’s business interruption insurance test case hands down good news for policyholders
COVID and Convenience: The Reason for the Decline of our High Street?
Arcadia Group, the parent company of retail stores such as Topshop, Miss Guided and Dorothy Perkins, officially went into administration on 30th November 2020, affecting 13,000 jobs. Ian Grabiner, the chief executive of Arcadia Group, cited the pandemic as being the main reason for the group’s collapse
Adapt or Perish: Weathering the storms - How airlines have adapted their services to stay afloat after more than a year of COVID-19
A HASTY “ROAD MAP” OUT OF LOCKDOWN WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON CANCER CARE
‘You’re taxing my patience’ US retreats from Tech Tax War with France.
What’s just happened?
During 2020, the USA found itself in the middle of a tax war with France. This was in response to Macron placing a “3% levy on all revenue earnt from digital services used in France.” Branded as the dreaded ‘tech tax’, this naturally had a huge impact on tech giants such as Facebook Inc, Amazon Inc and, of course, Google.
Spanish Economy Finds a Lifeline Through Mergers
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Spain's biggest economic hurdle has been youth unemployment, at around 40%, for many years. Now it has become one of the hardest COVID hit nations within Continental Europe. The nations’ central bank has predicted a 15.1% contraction in the economy if there is a 2nd wave of lockdown restrictions.
NHS Workers Rightfully ask for Pay Rise- Will the Government Approve?
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Throughout 2020, NHS workers worked tirelessly to save thousands of lives across the UK. While their efforts have been praised via social media channels and “clap for carers” last year, NHS workers are still being overlooked by the government after requests for a 15% pay rise have been ignored.
Record Number of Domestic Violence Applications
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The Law Society has again called for non-means tested legal aid to be made available to domestic abuse victims after government data revealed unprecedented high numbers of family court applications. Data from the Ministry of Justice last week showed an increase in the number of domestic violence remedy order applications between July and September this year.
Only 30 Minutes outside... COVID measures too harsh for Children?
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There has been an ‘urgent notification’ issued to the justice secretary addressing major concerns of the quality of care and leadership at a privately run youth prison near Rugby.
This notification could be considered emergency action, and these notices are rare, but the so-called “bleak regime” has raised widespread concern.
‘A New Strain of Job Loss.’ Mutated Covid-19 Spreading Faster
Though it was only 10 days ago that the first person in the United Kingdom had received the heavily anticipated Pfizer vaccine, said to be 90% effective against combating Covid-19, increasing whispers about a different variant or modified strain of Covid have been spreading through the South East of England, about as quickly as the new strain has too.
COVID-19 Vaccine: Will the UK criminalise “Fake News”?
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With the imminent arrival of the first vaccinations against COVID-19, the Labour Party has called for new laws to introduce criminal and financial penalties for social media companies that fail to crack down on misinformation surrounding coronavirus (specifically “dangerous anti-vaccine content” that appears on their networks.
Has the Rush for PPE Compromised our Ethics?
In an investigation conducted by The Guardian, it was found that the UK government procured PPE kits from Chinese factories that employed North Korean women working under conditions of ‘modern slavery’. The government received huge backlash and criticism from Human Rights activists for their lack of due diligence in coming up with policies and steps that instead of discouraging and tackling the problem of modern slavery, aided and contributed to it.
Lawyers Targeted by Money Launderers During COVID
‘Flipping Madness’: Property Market Finds its Feet Amidst Global Pandemic
What’s just happened?
While this year has undoubtedly been one for the history books, seeing a housing ‘boom’ is something many wouldn’t have predicted. However, it turns out that not only being cooped up with in-laws, parents, and partners has been a blessing for the stable family unit, it’s seemingly worked wonders for the property market too.