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Constitutional law

27 January 2017
Issue: 7731 / Categories: Case law , Law digest , In Court
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Belhaj and another v Straw and others; Rahmatullah (No 1) v Ministry of Defence and another [2017] UKSC 3, [2017] All ER (D) 45 (Jan)

The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the appellant UK officials’ appeals in proceedings concerning their alleged complicity in various torts, allegedly committed by various other states in various overseas jurisdictions against the respondents. The torts alleged included the unlawful detention and rendition, torture or cruel and inhuman treatment and assault. In the circumstances, the appellants were not entitled to rely on state immunity or the doctrine of foreign act of state to defeat the respondents’ claims. Accordingly, the respondents’ cases would proceed to trial.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
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