This year marks the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. This ground breaking Act of Parliament, which became law on 23 December 1919, allowed women to become Solicitors, Barristers, Magistrates and Jurors for the first time. The Act begins with the defining words “a person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage […]
Pump Court Chambers is delighted to announce that our Senior Family Clerk, Sean Gentleman has been shortlisted for the Clerk of the Year Award at the forthcoming Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2020. Over 70,000 interviews with in-house counsel, law firms and sets in the UK took place to pin-point the most capable, expert practitioners […]
A woman who was filmed in bed with a cheating Premier League footballer has avoided jail, having attempted to blackmail him. The footballer, who has lifelong anonymity, requested that Natalie Wood, 28, send him sexual videos, before arranging to meet her in a hotel. A plan was then hatched for two men to burst in […]
Pump Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Alejandra Llorente Tascon has been elected to the Criminal Bar Association Executive Committee. The Executive Committee was formed to represent the views and interests of the practising members of the Criminal Bar in England and Wales. Alejandra will take her role from January 2020, for further information […]
Pump Court Chambers is pleased to announce that Jennifer Lee has been appointed to sit on Resolution’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The nationwide committee was formed to create greater diversity and inclusivity across the Resolution Group, which represents thousands of family justice professionals who work with families and individuals to resolve issues in a […]
I was instructed to defend Stephen Nicholson, aged 25, who was charged with the murder and multiple sexual offences against Lucy McHugh, a 13-year-old girl. The trial took place before Mrs. Justice May at Winchester Crown Court earlier this year. Nicholson lived as a lodger in the same house as Lucy and her family in […]
We are delighted to announce that James Byrne has joined Pump Court Chambers. James is an experienced practitioner with a wide civil practice encompassing commercial, property, personal injury and regulatory law. He also maintains a practice in the area of private children law. James said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining a set held […]
The Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) 2017 came into effect on 3rd April 2018 and places new legal duties on local authorities so that everyone who is homeless, or at risk of homelessness, should have access to meaningful help, irrespective of their priority need status, as long as they are eligible for assistance. The Act amends […]
Introduction 1. In R v O [2019] EWCA Crim 1389, the Court of Appeal gave further guidance on when a conviction may be unsafe where the defendant was a Victim of Trafficking (“VOT”). The Court concluded that there is a “settled approach to these cases”. This approach requires three questions to be posed: 1) Is […]
Pump Court Chambers is pleased to invite you to our forthcoming Poole Family Finance Seminar. Our speakers will be providing valuable and in-depth updates for all practitioners at intensive afternoon sessions. The event will close with a Q&A session that gives you the opportunity to have experienced counsel guide you on any technical questions or […]