Law Society Legal News Summary 28 November 2024


Disability History Month 

Today’s Conveyancer covers our new guidance on disability terminology to mark Disability History Month.    

Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “People and organisations can be so fearful of saying the wrong thing that they say nothing and do not address the barriers to improve disability inclusion. 

“This is why we’ve created our guide to disability terminology and language to ensure the profession is using the right words, phrases and acronyms when talking about disability. 

“The guidance advises people to remember that individuals will have their own preferences as to how they would describe themselves, and how they would wish to be described. Identity is extremely personal. 

“We urge the profession to listen, educate themselves, learn and politely ask about preferences if they’re in doubt.” 

Read our press release
 

Inheritance tax 

Telegraph (£) covers inheritance tax and the Marriage Act 1949, as people consider divorcing their partner and marrying their mother-in-law to avoid paying inheritance tax. 

Karen Dovaston, chair of our Family Law Committee said: “The Marriage Act 1949 sets out who you can and can’t marry, where you can get married and who can perform the marriage ceremony. 

“The bit that was changed is the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Act 1986 and this change came into force on the first of March 2007. You have to be over 21, you can’t have been a child of the family at any point, but since 2007, you can marry your mother-in-law.”
 

Family justice system 

Jasmine Hollis, a member of our Children Law Scheme, offers advice in the Gazette to help shape the family justice system for the neurodivergent community.
 

SLAPPs 

Jonathan Goldsmith, chair of our Policy & Regulatory Affairs Committee, writes in the Gazette about SLAPPs.
 

Workplace surveillance 

Lawfuel covers workplace surveillance in the legal sector and the potential implications it has on lawyers. 

Our joint report about neurotech with Dr Allan McCay is mentioned. 

Read the report here
 

Also worth a read:  

  • Solicitors’ regulator chiefs must resign after damning Axiom report Times (£)
  • Rape cases need lawyers to engage earlier Times (£)
  • In depth: Why disillusioned junior lawyers give up law Gazette
  • CILEx regulation calls for action Solicitors Journal
  • Lady Carr: ‘Allow courts to sit at maximum capacity’ Times (£)
  • Ending the cycle of 'prison, release, repeat' New Law Journal
  • AI could help us predict prison violence, says justice secretary Times (£)
  • Ex-supreme court president backs assisted dying law change - Guardian
  • David Cameron comes out in support of assisted dying bill after previously voting against in 2015 Sky News
  • ‘More of the same’: City lawyers sceptical of FCA’s five-year plan CityA.M
  • Judges’ role in assisted dying bill criticised as ‘rubber stamping’Financial Times (£)
  • Abolish recording of non-crime hate incidents, former Supreme Court judge urges Telegraph (£)
  • Firms who employ illegal workers to face tougher sanctions under new Home Office rules - Standard
  • England’s top judge hits out at government’s refusal to boost court fundingFinancial Times (£)
  • Prison release plan will see violent and sexual reoffending, says probation boss – inews (£)

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