S12E03 - A Rare Thing Indeed!

Northpod Law & UKCLB Podcasts

On this week's show, which you can hear by clicking here, we are joined by lap-dancer-turned-law-student, Vanessa Knowles to talk about how a law student making good money from being very visible online might encounter problems in a future career. It turns out things are not as bleak as you might think.
We talk about how not to deal with the Court of Appeal when it comes to having a pop at a client's previous lawyers and how the Court uses its rarely-wielded power to dismiss a case without a hearing of any sort.
We look at a rarely-used power to have a witness deposed - US-style! Is it about to be used more often after being on the statute books for many years?
We also take a look at the Legal Aid position in relation to awkward forensic experts holding on to evidence until a fee is paid by defence lawyers. No spoilers, but it turns out that things are not quite as they seem.
All of that and we have a quick glance at the sad plight of Nigel Evans MP, the PDS and Nick "Mr Loophole" Freeman.
Check out the links below for the sources used and for additional material we thought you might like to read.
Have a good Easter break.
The links:

No charge allowed for prosecution expert labs to show all to the defence - Keith Borer Consultants make a FOI request to the Forensic Regulator.

http://www.keithborer.co.uk/uploads/assets/files/KBC%20April%202014%20Newsletter%20E&W.pdf

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/171649/response/425409/attach/html/3/84617%20Final%20response.pdf.html

You have an appointment to be deposed!

http://northpod.openshadow.com/asset_docs/Power%20of%20justice%20to%20take%20depositions.pdf

R v Achogbuo http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2014/567.html http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/19/pdfs/ukpga_19680019_en.pdf

£3,000 for a splinter in the bum.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2606125/Parents-sue-school-3-000-seven-year-old-son-got-splinter-sat-wooden-bench.html

Croydon Guardian tells it slightly differently again: http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/11148736.Boy_with_sore_bottom_wins_payout_after_school_bench_gives_him_painful_splinter/

Law student stripper

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2605809/Lap-dancing-webcam-work-teach-transferable-legal-skills-Law-student-set-scoop-funds-degree-stripping-online-earns-50k-year-it.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/as-many-as-a-third-of-women-strippers-are-students-trying-to-pay-for-their-education-9158808.html

and for lawyers already working at the CPS:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2463005/CPS-lawyer-works-as-nude-model-while-on-sick-leave.html

and those BPP boys are in demand (or they were before the agency went belly-up):

http://www.rollonfriday.com/Blogs/ReadBlog/tabid/144/id/25891/Default.aspx

In case you’re wondering what that test is for solicitors, here it is: http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/handbook/suitabilitytest/content.page

“More rigorous tests to be applied by CPS and police says Scotland Yard Chief” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2606080/Historic-sex-abuse-allegations-subject-stricter-tests-prosecutions-says-Scotland-Yard-chief.html

Twitter coverage

https://storify.com/anyapalmer/a-tax-on-innocence

The PDS

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/practice/public-defender-service-hires-11-advocates/5040880.article

Nick Freeman and the ASA.

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/5040872.article?utm_source=dispatch&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GAZ160414