Month: June 2023

26.06.23

Repaying a debt which may contravene the UK sanction regime against Russia

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine has led to the UK and other countries imposing various sanctions on Russia including.  A list of sanctioned individuals and entities which can be accessed here.  However, the sanctions regime is much broader and covers dealing with “involved persons” connected to Russia under The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019…

Retired ophthalmologist awarded £30,000 libel damages for Facebook slur

In December 2022 Dr Than Wai, a retired ophthalmologist, originally from Myanmar, issued libel proceedings against Dr Htay Kywe, a retired General Practitioner, also originally from Myanmar, in respect of allegations made by Dr Kywe on the ‘Moe Joe News’ Facebook page. The words sued upon (that Dr Wai was, in essence, a “stoolie”) were…

23.06.23

The right to representation, ethics, reputation and regulation

Iain Wilson joins Law Society Gazette roundtable with Law Society President Lubna Shuja and others to discuss the right to representation, ethics, reputation and regulation.  Click here to read the article in the Law Society Gazette.

19.06.23

Court errs in backdating claim form

In Walton v Pickerings Solicitors & Anor [2023] EWCA Civ 602, the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal made by the Claimant against the High Court‘s finding that the claim form had not been validly served within the requisite timeframe. What are the rules? Under rule 7.5(1) of the Civil Procedure Rules (‘CPR’), a claimant…

16.06.23

High Court provides rare guidance on the meaning of ‘editor’ in defamation claims

This article considers the decision of Mr Justice Saini in Chris Packham CBE v Dominic Wightman and others [2023] EWHC 1256 (KB).  The claimant, a naturalist, campaigner and television presenter, was awarded £90,000 in damages by the High Court in respect of allegations published by the first and second defendants in articles in Country Squire…

15.06.23

The importance of engaging meaningfully and constructively in Fitness to Practise Proceedings

The recent case of Golden v Nursing and Midwifery Council [2023] EWHC 619 (Admin) highlights the need for regulated practitioners to engage with their regulator in a constructive way and the risks they face should they fail to do so. The facts Mr Golden, a midwife registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), was…